Surgical instruments with flexible ball chain drive arrangements

ABSTRACT

Surgical instruments that comprise an axially movable firing member that is configured to be driven between a starting position and an ending position within a surgical end effector of the surgical instrument by an upper an upper chain-drive assembly and a lower chain-drive assembly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/057,430, entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH TORSION SPINE DRIVE ARRANGEMENTS, filed Jul. 28, 2020, of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/057,432, entitled ARTICULATION JOINT ARRANGEMENTS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, filed Jul. 28, 2020, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to surgical instruments and, in various arrangements, to surgical stapling and cutting instruments and staple cartridges for use therewith that are designed to staple and cut tissue. The surgical instruments may be configured for use in open surgical procedures, but have applications in other types of surgery, such as laparoscopic, endoscopic, and robotic-assisted procedures and may include end effectors that are articulatable relative to a shaft portion of the instrument to facilitate precise positioning within a patient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features of the various aspects are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The described aspects, however, both as to organization and methods of operation, may be best understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical end effector portion of a surgical instrument in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the surgical end effector portion instrument of FIG. 1 in a closed orientation;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded assembly view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded assembly view of an elongate shaft assembly of the surgical instrument of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is another exploded assembly view of the elongate shaft assembly of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded assembly view of a firing system and a rotary drive system according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a firing member and upper and lower flexible spine assemblies of the firing system in engagement with a rotary drive screw of the rotary drive system of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the firing member and upper and lower flexible spine assemblies of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the firing member and upper and lower flexible spine assemblies in engagement with the rotary drive screw of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional end view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 4 taken along line 12-12 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of two adjacent upper vertebra members of the upper flexible spine assembly of FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of two adjacent lower vertebra members of the lower flexible spine assembly of FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 is a top view of a firing member and upper and lower flexible spine assemblies in engagement with the rotary drive screw of FIG. 9;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a CV drive shaft assembly of the rotary drive system of FIG. 8 in an articulated orientation;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the firing system of FIG. 8 in driving engagement with the CV drive shaft assembly of FIG. 16 in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a drive joint of the CV drive shaft assembly of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 4 taken along line 19-19 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 20 is a partial perspective view of a proximal end portion of the surgical end effector and portions of the firing system and the rotary drive system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 1;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the rotary drive system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 1 in driving engagement with the firing system thereof in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary drive screw and thrust bearing arrangement of the firing system of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a side view of the rotary drive screw of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a portion of the lower flexible spine assembly and a portion of the firing member of FIG. 21 in driving engagement with a portion of the rotary drive screw;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the firing member in a home or starting position within the surgical end effector of the surgical instrument of FIG. 1;

FIG. 26 is a side view illustrating the upper flexible spine assembly and the lower flexible spine assembly of FIG. 21 in driving engagement with the rotary drive screw after the firing member has been driven distally from a home or starting position;

FIG. 27 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the surgical end effector, firing system and rotary drive system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 1 according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure with an outer elastomeric joint assembly of an articulation joint omitted for clarity;

FIG. 28 is another partial perspective view of a portion of the surgical end effector, firing system and rotary drive system of FIG. 27 with an outer elastomeric joint assembly of an articulation joint and portions of the elongate shaft assembly omitted for clarity;

FIG. 29 is a top view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 27 articulated in a first direction relative to a portion of the elongate shaft assembly in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 30 is a side view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 29 articulated in another direction relative to a portion of the elongate shaft assembly in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 29 articulated in multiple planes with respect to a portion of the elongate shaft assembly in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 32 is a side elevational view of a portion of another surgical instrument that employs another outer elastomeric joint assembly in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 33 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the surgical instrument of FIG. 32;

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a portion of the outer elastomeric joint assembly of FIG. 32;

FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional end view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 19 taken along lines 35-35 in FIG. 19;

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional end view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 19 taken along lines 36-36 in FIG. 19;

FIG. 37 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of an anvil cap and an upper vertebra member of the surgical instrument of FIG. 19 in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 38 is a side view of a portion of the surgical end effector of the surgical instrument of FIG. 19 with an anvil thereof in an open position in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure and with portions of the surgical end effector omitted for clarity;

FIG. 39 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 38 with the anvil in an open position and the firing member in the home or starting position in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 40 is another partial cross-sectional side view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 39 with the anvil in a partially closed position;

FIG. 41 is another partial cross-sectional side view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 39 with the anvil in a fully closed position and the firing member distally advancing through the surgical end effector;

FIG. 42 is a partial side elevational view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 19 with portions thereof omitted for clarity to illustrate the anvil opening springs applying an opening motion to the anvil and with the firing member in a home or starting position;

FIG. 43 is another partial side view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 42, after the firing member has moved proximally a short distance to apply a quick closure motion to the anvil for grasping purposes;

FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 19 with the jaws thereof in a closed position and the firing member thereof in a proximal-most position;

FIG. 45 is another cross-sectional view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 44, after the firing member has been distally advanced to the ending position within the surgical end effector;

FIG. 46 is a perspective view of a portion of another surgical instrument;

FIG. 47 is a side elevational view of a surgical end effector of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46, with the jaws thereof in an open position;

FIG. 48 is another side view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 48 with the jaws thereof in a closed position;

FIG. 49 is an exploded assembly view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46;

FIG. 50 is a perspective view of a firing member and portions of an upper flexible spine assembly and a lower flexible spine assembly of a firing system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46;

FIG. 51 is a cross-sectional side view of the portions of the firing system depicted in FIG. 50;

FIG. 52 is a partial exploded assembly view of the upper flexible spine assembly and lower flexible spine assembly depicted in FIG. 51;

FIG. 53 is a partial cross-sectional end view of an upper portion of the firing member depicted in FIG. 50;

FIG. 54 is a cross-sectional end view of the surgical end effector of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46, with the jaws thereof in a closed position;

FIG. 55 is a view of a proximal face of an annular rib member of a movable exoskeleton assembly of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46;

FIG. 56 is a view of a distal face of the annular rib member of FIG. 55;

FIG. 57 is a side view of the annular rib member of FIGS. 55 and 56;

FIG. 58 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46;

FIG. 59 is a side view of an articulation joint of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46 when the surgical end effector thereof is in an unarticulated position;

FIG. 60 is another side view of the articulation joint of FIG. 59 when the surgical end effector is in an articulated position;

FIG. 61 is partial perspective view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46 with the surgical end effector omitted for clarity;

FIG. 62 is another partial perspective view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46;

FIG. 63 is another partial perspective view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46;

FIG. 64 is a perspective view of a CV drive shaft assembly and a portion of the elongate shaft assembly of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46;

FIG. 65 is another perspective view of the CV drive shaft assembly and elongated shaft assembly of FIG. 64 with a drive cover embodiment installed around the CV drive shaft assembly;

FIG. 66 is another perspective view of the CV drive shaft assembly and elongated shaft assembly of FIG. 64 with another drive cover embodiment installed around the CV drive shaft assembly;

FIG. 67 is another perspective view of the CV drive shaft assembly and elongated shaft assembly of FIG. 64 with another drive cover embodiment installed around the CV drive shaft assembly;

FIG. 68 is a side view of a portion of the firing system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 46 with the drive cover of FIG. 67 installed around the CV drive shaft assembly;

FIG. 69 is another side view of the portion of the firing system and drive cover of FIG. 68;

FIG. 70 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of another surgical instrument;

FIG. 71 is a cross-sectional end view of a surgical end effector of the surgical instrument of FIG. 70;

FIG. 72 is a cross-sectional side view of a rotary drive nut in engagement with drive components of the surgical instrument of FIG. 70;

FIG. 73 is a partial side view of a surgical end effector of another surgical instrument that employs a series of flexibly linked drive components to drive a firing member through the surgical end effector;

FIG. 74 is a side view of a portion of the series of flexibly linked drive components of the surgical instrument of FIG. 73 prior to engagement with a rotary drive gear in the surgical end effector;

FIG. 75 is another side view of the portion of drive components of FIG. 74 after being engaged with the rotary drive gear to form a rigid series of drive components;

FIG. 76 is a partial cross-sectional view of the rotary drive system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 74 with components in the series of flexible drive components in driving engagement with the rotary drive gear thereof;

FIG. 77 is a side view of a portion of rotary firing system and firing member of another surgical instrument;

FIG. 78 is a side view of a portion of a rotary firing system and firing member of another surgical instrument;

FIG. 79 is a side view of a portion of a rotary firing system and firing member of another surgical instrument;

FIG. 80 is a partial view of another surgical instrument that employs a rotary driven firing system to drive a firing member through a surgical end effector with an anvil of the surgical end effector in an open position;

FIG. 81 is another partial side view of the surgical instrument and end effector of FIG. 80 with the anvil thereof in a closed position;

FIG. 82 is a perspective view of portions of the rotary driven firing system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 80;

FIG. 83 is a top view of a portion of the rotary driven firing system depicted in FIG. 82;

FIG. 84 is a perspective view of a guide member and rotary drive shaft of the rotary driven firing system of FIG. 83;

FIG. 85 is a perspective view of a portion of another flexible firing drive assembly that may be employed with the firing drive system of FIG. 83;

FIG. 86 is another perspective view of a portion of another flexible firing drive assembly embodiment that may be employed with the firing drive system of FIG. 83;

FIG. 87 is a perspective view of a surgical end effector of another surgical instrument with an anvil thereof in an open position and the surgical end effector in an unarticulated orientation;

FIG. 88 is an exploded assembly view of the surgical end effector and surgical instrument of FIG. 87;

FIG. 89 is a side elevational view of an articulation joint of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87;

FIG. 90 is a top view of the articulation joint of FIG. 89;

FIG. 91 is a perspective view of the articulation joint of FIG. 89 and a cable-controlled closure pulley system for applying closing motions to the anvil of the surgical end effector of FIG. 89;

FIG. 92 is a perspective view of a portion of the surgical end effector of FIG. 89 articulated by the articulation joint of FIG. 89;

FIG. 93 is another perspective view of the cable-controlled closure pulley system of FIG. 91;

FIG. 94 is an end view of a pulley unit of the cable-controlled pulley system of FIG. 93;

FIG. 95 is a side elevational view of a first lateral alpha wrap pulley of the pulley unit of FIG. 94;

FIG. 96 is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the surgical end effector of FIG. 89 with the anvil of the surgical end effector in an open position;

FIG. 97 is another side elevational view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 96 with the anvil in a closed position;

FIG. 98 is a perspective view of the articulation joint and cable-controlled closure system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87 with a central joint member and a distal joint member articulated relative to a proximal joint member of the articulation joint;

FIG. 99 is another perspective view of the articulation joint and cable-controlled closure system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87 with the distal joint member articulated through a second articulation plane relative to a central joint member of the articulation joint;

FIG. 100 is a side elevational view of portions of a firing drive system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87;

FIG. 101 is another perspective view of the firing drive system of FIG. 100 with upper chain link features and lower chain link features in articulated positions;

FIG. 102 is another side view of the firing drive system of FIG. 100 with the upper chain link features and lower chain link features in driving engagement with a rotary drive screw of the firing drive system;

FIG. 103 is a cross-sectional end view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 87 with the anvil thereof in a closed position;

FIG. 104 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87 with the firing member in a starting position and the anvil in a closed position;

FIG. 105 is an exploded assembly view of a rotary drive system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87;

FIG. 106 is a perspective view of a first drive shaft segment and a second drive shaft segment of the rotary drive system of FIG. 105;

FIG. 107 is a perspective view of the surgical end effector of FIG. 87 with the rotary drive system in an articulated orientation;

FIG. 108 is an exploded assembly view of an articulation joint and a portion of the rotary drive system of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87;

FIG. 109 is a cross-sectional view of the articulation joint and rotary drive system of FIG. 108 in an unarticulated orientation;

FIG. 110 is another cross-sectional view of the articulation joint and rotary drive system of FIG. 109 with a proximal joint member of the articulation joint articulated relative to a central joint member of the articulation joint;

FIG. 111 is a partial side elevational view of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87 illustrating one form of a cable tensioning system with the surgical end effector in an unarticulated orientation;

FIG. 112 is another partial side view of the surgical instrument and cable tensioning system of FIG. 111 with the surgical end effector in an articulated orientation;

FIG. 113 is a partial side elevational view of the surgical instrument of FIG. 87 illustrating another form of a cable tensioning system with the surgical end effector in an unarticulated orientation; and

FIG. 114 is another partial side view of the surgical instrument and cable tensioning system of FIG. 113 with the surgical end effector in an articulated orientation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Applicant of the present application owns the following U.S. patent applications that were filed on even date herewith and which are each herein incorporated by reference in their respective entireties:

-   -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH         TORSION SPINE DRIVE ARRANGEMENTS, Attorney Docket No.         END9248USNP1/200084-1;     -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH         FIRING MEMBER CLOSURE FEATURES, Attorney Docket No.         END9248USNP2/200084-2;     -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH         SEGMENTED FLEXIBLE DRIVE ARRANGEMENTS, Attorney Docket No.         END9248USNP3/200084-3;     -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH         DOUBLE SPHERICAL ARTICULATION JOINTS WITH PIVOTABLE LINKS,         Attorney Docket No. END9248USNP5/200084-5;     -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH         DOUBLE PIVOT ARTICULATION JOINT ARRANGEMENTS, Attorney Docket         No. END9248USNP6/200084-6;     -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH         COMBINATION FUNCTION ARTICULATION JOINT ARRANGEMENTS, attorney         Docket No. END9248USNP7/200084-7;     -   U.S. patent application entitled METHOD OF OPERATING A SURGICAL         INSTRUMENT, Attorney Docket No. END9248USNP8/200084-8M;     -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH DUAL         SPHERICAL ARTICULATION JOINT ARRANGEMENTS, Attorney Docket No.         END9248USNP9/200084-9;     -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH         FLEXIBLE FIRING MEMBER ACTUATOR CONSTRAINT ARRANGEMENTS,         Attorney Docket No. END9248USNP10/200084-10;     -   U.S. patent application entitled ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL         INSTRUMENTS WITH ARTICULATION JOINTS COMPRISING FLEXIBLE         EXOSKELETON ARRANGEMENTS, Attorney Docket No.         END9248USNP11/200084-11; and     -   U.S. patent application entitled SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH         DIFFERENTIAL ARTICULATION JOINT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ACCOMMODATING         FLEXIBLE ACTUATORS, Attorney Docket No. END9248USNP12/200084-12.

Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the embodiments as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described in the specification. The reader will understand that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and illustrative. Variations and changes thereto may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

The terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”) and “contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a surgical system, device, or apparatus that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more elements possesses those one or more elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more elements. Likewise, an element of a system, device, or apparatus that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more features possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features.

The terms “proximal” and “distal” are used herein with reference to a clinician manipulating the handle portion of the surgical instrument. The term “proximal” refers to the portion closest to the clinician and the term “distal” refers to the portion located away from the clinician. It will be further appreciated that, for convenience and clarity, spatial terms such as “vertical”, “horizontal”, “up”, and “down” may be used herein with respect to the drawings. However, surgical instruments are used in many orientations and positions, and these terms are not intended to be limiting and/or absolute.

References to items in the singular should be understood to include items in the plural, and vice versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise or clear from the text. Grammatical conjunctions are intended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinations of conjoined clauses, sentences, words, and the like, unless otherwise stated or clear from the context. Thus, the term “or” should generally be understood to mean “and/or”, etc.

Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting, referring instead individually to any and all values falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value within such a range is incorporated into the disclosure as if it were individually recited herein. The words “about,” “approximately” or the like, when accompanying a numerical value, are to be construed as indicating a deviation as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art to operate satisfactorily for an intended purpose. Similarly, words of approximation such as “approximately” or “substantially” when used in reference to physical characteristics, should be construed to contemplate a range of deviations that would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art to operate satisfactorily for a corresponding use, function, purpose or the like.

The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (“e.g.,” “such as,” or the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the embodiments. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to the practice of the embodiments.

Various exemplary devices and methods are provided for performing laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgical procedures. However, the reader will readily appreciate that the various methods and devices disclosed herein can be used in numerous surgical procedures and applications including, for example, in connection with open surgical procedures. As the present Detailed Description proceeds, the reader will further appreciate that the various instruments disclosed herein can be inserted into a body in any way, such as through a natural orifice, through an incision or puncture hole formed in tissue, etc. The working portions or end effector portions of the instruments can be inserted directly into a patient's body or can be inserted through an access device that has a working channel through which the end effector and elongate shaft of a surgical instrument can be advanced.

It is common practice during various laparoscopic surgical procedures to insert a surgical end effector portion of a surgical instrument through a trocar that has been installed in the abdominal wall of a patient to access a surgical site located inside the patient's abdomen. In its simplest form, a trocar is a pen-shaped instrument with a sharp triangular point at one end that is typically used inside a hollow tube, known as a cannula or sleeve, to create an opening into the body through which surgical end effectors may be introduced. Such arrangement forms an access port into the body cavity through which surgical end effectors may be inserted. The inner diameter of the trocar's cannula necessarily limits the size of the end effector and drive-supporting shaft of the surgical instrument that may be inserted through the trocar.

Regardless of the specific type of surgical procedure being performed, once the surgical end effector has been inserted into the patient through the trocar cannula, it is often necessary to move the surgical end effector relative to the shaft assembly that is positioned within the trocar cannula in order to properly position the surgical end effector relative to the tissue or organ to be treated. This movement or positioning of the surgical end effector relative to the portion of the shaft that remains within the trocar cannula is often referred to as “articulation” of the surgical end effector. A variety of articulation joints have been developed to attach a surgical end effector to an associated shaft in order to facilitate such articulation of the surgical end effector. As one might expect, in many surgical procedures, it is desirable to employ a surgical end effector that has as large a range of articulation as possible.

Due to the size constraints imposed by the size of the trocar cannula, the articulation joint components must be sized so as to be freely insertable through the trocar cannula. These size constraints also limit the size and composition of various drive members and components that operably interface with the motors and/or other control systems that are supported in a housing that may be handheld or comprise a portion of a larger automated system. In many instances, these drive members must operably pass through the articulation joint to be operably coupled to or operably interface with the surgical end effector. For example, one such drive member is commonly employed to apply articulation control motions to the surgical end effector. During use, the articulation drive member may be unactuated to position the surgical end effector in an unarticulated position to facilitate insertion of the surgical end effector through the trocar and then be actuated to articulate the surgical end effector to a desired position once the surgical end effector has entered the patient.

Thus, the aforementioned size constraints form many challenges to developing an articulation system that can effectuate a desired range of articulation, yet accommodate a variety of different drive systems that are necessary to operate various features of the surgical end effector. Further, once the surgical end effector has been positioned in a desired articulated position, the articulation system and articulation joint must be able to retain the surgical end effector in that locked position during the actuation of the end effector and completion of the surgical procedure. Such articulation joint arrangements must also be able to withstand external forces that are experienced by the end effector during use.

A variety of surgical end effectors exist that are configured to cut and staple tissue. Such surgical end effectors commonly include a first jaw feature that supports a surgical staple cartridge and a second jaw that comprises an anvil. The jaws are supported relative to each other such that they can move between an open position and a closed position to position and clamp target tissue therebetween. Many of these surgical end effectors employ an axially moving firing member. In some end effector designs, the firing member is configured to engage the first and second jaws such that as the firing member is initially advanced distally, the firing member moves the jaws to the closed position. Other end effector designs employ a separate closure system that is independent and distinct from the system that operates the firing member.

The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body. The cartridge body includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a deck extending between the proximal end and the distal end. In use, the staple cartridge is positioned on a first side of the tissue to be stapled and the anvil is positioned on a second side of the tissue. The anvil is moved toward the staple cartridge to compress and clamp the tissue against the deck. Thereafter, staples removably stored in the cartridge body can be deployed into the tissue. The cartridge body includes staple cavities defined therein wherein staples are removably stored in the staple cavities. The staple cavities are arranged in six longitudinal rows. Three rows of staple cavities are positioned on a first side of a longitudinal slot and three rows of staple cavities are positioned on a second side of the longitudinal slot. Other arrangements of staple cavities and staples may be possible.

The staples are supported by staple drivers in the cartridge body. The drivers are movable between a first, or unfired position, and a second, or fired, position to eject the staples from the staple cavities. The drivers are retained in the cartridge body by a retainer which extends around the bottom of the cartridge body and includes resilient members configured to grip the cartridge body and hold the retainer to the cartridge body. The drivers are movable between their unfired positions and their fired positions by a sled. The sled is movable between a proximal position adjacent the proximal end and a distal position adjacent the distal end. The sled comprises a plurality of ramped surfaces configured to slide under the drivers and lift the drivers, and the staples supported thereon, toward the anvil.

Further to the above, in these surgical end effectors, the sled is moved distally by the firing member. The firing member is configured to contact the sled and push the sled toward the distal end. The longitudinal slot defined in the cartridge body is configured to receive the firing member. The anvil also includes a slot configured to receive the firing member. The firing member further comprises a first cam which engages the first jaw and a second cam which engages the second jaw. As the firing member is advanced distally, the first cam and the second cam can control the distance, or tissue gap, between the deck of the staple cartridge and the anvil. The firing member also comprises a knife configured to incise the tissue captured intermediate the staple cartridge and the anvil. It is desirable for the knife to be positioned at least partially proximal to the ramped surfaces such that the staples are ejected ahead of the knife.

Many surgical end effectors employ an axially movable firing beam that is attached to the firing member and is used to apply axial firing and retraction motions to the firing member. Many of such firing beams comprise a laminated construction that affords the firing beam with some degree of flexure about the articulation joint. As the firing beam traverses the articulation joint, the firing beam can apply de-articulation forces to the joint and can cause the beam to buckle. To prevent the firing beam from buckling under pressure, the articulation joint is commonly provided with lateral supports or “blow-out” plate features to support the portion of the beam that traverses the articulation joint. To advance the firing beam through an angle of greater than sixty degrees, for example, a lot of axial force is required. This axial force must be applied to the firing member in a balanced manner to avoid the firing member from binding with the jaws as the firing member moves distally. Any binding of the firing member with the jaws can lead to component damage and wear as well as require an increased amount of axial drive force to drive the firing member through the clamped tissue.

Other end effector designs employ a firing member that is rotary powered. In many of such designs, a rotary drive shaft extends through the articulation joint and interfaces with a rotatable firing member drive shaft that is rotatably supported within one of the jaws. The firing member threadably engages the rotatable firing member drive shaft and, as the rotatable firing member drive shaft is rotated, the firing member is driven through the end effector. Such arrangements require the supporting jaw to be larger to accommodate the firing member drive shaft. In such devices, a lower end of the firing member commonly operably interfaces with the drive shaft which can also result in an application of forces that tend to unbalance the firing member as it is driven distally.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate one form of a surgical instrument 10 that may address many of the challenges facing surgical instruments with articulatable end effectors that are configured to cut and fasten tissue. In various embodiments, the surgical instrument 10 may comprise a handheld device. In other embodiments, the surgical instrument 10 may comprises an automated system sometimes referred to as a robotically-controlled system, for example. In various forms, the surgical instrument 10 comprises a surgical end effector 1000 that is operably coupled to an elongate shaft assembly 2000. The elongate shaft assembly 2000 may be operably attached to a housing 2002. In one embodiment, the housing 2002 may comprise a handle that is configured to be grasped, manipulated, and actuated by the clinician. In other embodiments, the housing 2002 may comprise a portion of a robotic system that houses or otherwise operably supports at least one drive system that is configured to generate and apply at least one control motion which could be used to actuate the surgical end effectors disclosed herein and their respective equivalents. In addition, various components may be “housed” or contained in the housing or various components may be “associated with” a housing. In such instances, the components may not be contained with the housing or supported directly by the housing. For example, the surgical instruments disclosed herein may be employed with various robotic systems, instruments, components and methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,072,535, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS WITH ROTATABLE STAPLE DEPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In one form, the surgical end effector 1000 comprises a first jaw 1100 and a second jaw 1200. In the illustrated arrangement, the first jaw 1100 comprises an elongate channel 1110 that comprises a proximal end 1112 and a distal end 1114 and is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge 1300 therein. The surgical staple cartridge 1300 comprises a cartridge body 1302 that has an elongate slot 1304 therein. A plurality of surgical staples or fasteners (not shown) are stored therein on drivers (not shown) that are arranged in rows on each side of the elongate slot 1304. The drivers are each associated with corresponding staple cavities 1308 that open through a cartridge deck surface 1306. The surgical staple cartridge 1300 may be replaced after the staples/fasteners have been discharged therefrom. Other embodiments are contemplated wherein the elongate channel 1110 and/or the entire surgical end effector 1000 may is discarded after the surgical staple cartridge 1300 has been used. Such end effector arrangements may be referred to as “disposable loading units”, for example.

In the illustrated arrangement, the second jaw 1200 comprises an anvil 1210 that comprises an elongate anvil body 1212 that comprises a proximal end 1214 and a distal end 1216. In one arrangement, a pair of stiffening rods or members 1213 may be supported in the anvil body 1212 to provide the anvil body 1212 with added stiffness and rigidity. The anvil body 1212 comprises a staple-forming undersurface 1218 that faces the first jaw 1100 and may include a series of staple-forming pockets (not shown) that corresponds to each of the staples or fasteners in the surgical staple cartridge 1300. The anvil body 1212 may further include a pair of downwardly extending tissue stop features 1220 that are formed adjacent the proximal end 1214 of the anvil body 1212. One tissue stop feature 1220 extends from each side of the anvil body 1212 such that a distal end 1222 on each tissue stop corresponds to the proximal-most staples/fasteners in the surgical staple cartridge 1300. When the anvil 1210 is moved to a closed position onto tissue positioned between the staple-forming undersurface 1218 of the anvil 1210 and the cartridge deck surface 1306 of the surgical staple cartridge 1300, the tissue contacts the distal ends 1222 of the tissue stop features 1220 to prevent the tissue from migrating proximally past the proximal-most staples/fasteners to thereby ensure that the tissue that is cut is also stapled. When the surgical staple cartridge is “fired” as will be discussed in further detail below, the staples/fasteners supported within each staple cavity are driven out of the staple cavity 1308 through the clamped tissue and into forming contact with the staple-forming undersurface 1218 of the anvil 1210.

As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the proximal end 1214 of the anvil body 1212 comprises an anvil mounting portion 1230 that includes a pair of laterally extending mounting pins 1232 that are configured to be received in corresponding mounting cradles or pivot cradles 1120 formed in the proximal end 1112 of the elongate channel 1110. The mounting pins 1232 are pivotally retained within the mounting cradles 1120 by an anvil cap 1260 that may be attached to the proximal end 1112 of the elongate channel 1110 by mechanical snap features 1261 that are configured to engage retention formations 1113 on the elongate channel 1110. See FIG. 5. In other arrangements, the anvil cap 1260 may be attached to the elongate channel 1110 by welding, adhesive, etc. Such arrangement facilitates pivotal travel of the anvil 1210 relative to the surgical staple cartridge 1300 mounted in the elongate channel 1110 about a pivot axis PA between an open position (FIG. 1) and a closed position (FIGS. 2-5). Such pivot axis PA may be referred to herein as being “fixed” in that the pivot axis does not translate or otherwise move as the anvil 1200 is pivoted from an open position to a closed position.

In the illustrated arrangement, the elongate shaft assembly 2000 defines a shaft axis SA and comprises a proximal shaft portion 2100 that may operably interface with a housing of the control portion (e.g., handheld unit, robotic tool driver, etc.) of the surgical instrument 10. The elongate shaft assembly 2000 further comprises an articulation joint 2200 that is attached to the proximal shaft portion 2100 and the surgical end effector 1000. In various instances, the proximal shaft portion 2100 comprises a hollow outer tube 2110 that may be operably coupled to a housing 2002. See FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the proximal shaft portion 2100 may further comprise a rigid proximal support shaft 2120 that is supported within the hollow outer tube 2110 and extends from the housing to the articulation joint 2200. The proximal support shaft 2120 may comprise a first half 2120A and a second half 2120B that may be coupled together by, for example, welding, adhesive, etc. The proximal support member 2120 comprises a proximal end 2122 and a distal end 2124 and includes an axial passage 2126 that extends therethrough from the proximal end 2122 to the distal end 2124.

As was discussed above, many surgical end effectors employ a firing member that is pushed distally through a surgical staple cartridge by an axially movable firing beam. The firing beam is commonly attached to the firing member in the center region of the firing member body. This attachment location can introduce an unbalance to the firing member as it is advanced through the end effector. Such unbalance can lead to undesirable friction between the firing member and the end effector jaws. The creation of this additional friction may require an application of a higher firing force to overcome such friction as well as can cause undesirable wear to portions of the jaws and/or the firing member. An application of higher firing forces to the firing beam may result in unwanted flexure in the firing beam as it traverses the articulation joint. Such additional flexure may cause the articulation joint to de-articulate—particularly when the surgical end effector is articulated at relatively high articulation angles. The surgical instrument 10 employs a firing system 2300 that may address many if not all of these issues as well as others.

As can be seen in FIGS. 5-11, in at least one embodiment, the firing system 2300 comprises a firing member 2310 that includes a vertically-extending firing member body 2312 that comprises a top firing member feature 2320 and a bottom firing member feature 2350. A tissue cutting blade 2314 is attached to or formed in the vertically-extending firing member body 2312. See FIGS. 9 and 11. In at least one arrangement, it is desirable for the firing member 2310 to pass through the anvil body 1212 with low friction, high strength and high stiffness. In the illustrated arrangement, the top firing member feature 2320 comprises a top tubular body 2322 that has a top axial passage 2324 extending therethrough. See FIG. 10. The bottom firing member feature 2350 comprises a bottom tubular body 2352 that has a bottom axial passage 2354 extending therethrough. In at least one arrangement, the top firing member feature 2320 and the bottom firing member feature 2350 are integrally formed with the vertically-extending firing member body 2312. As can be seen in FIG. 12, the anvil body 1212 comprises an axially extending anvil slot 1240 that has a cross-sectional shape that resembles a “keyhole”. Similarly, the elongate channel 1110 comprises an axially extending channel slot 1140 that also has a keyhole cross-sectional shape.

Traditional firing member arrangements employ long flexible cantilever wings that extend from a top portion and a bottom portion of the firing member. These cantilever wings slidably pass through slots in the anvil and channel that are commonly cut with a rectangular t-cutter which tended to produce higher friction surfaces. Such long cantilever wings have minimum surface area contact with the anvil and channel and can result in galling of those components. The keyhole-shaped channel slot 1140 and keyhole-shaped anvil slot 1240 may be cut with a round t-cutter and may be finished with a reamer/borer which will result in the creation of a lower friction surface. In addition, the top tubular body 2322 and the bottom tubular body 2352 tend to be stiffer than the prior cantilever wing arrangements and have increased surface area contact with the anvil and channel, respectively which can reduce galling and lead to a stronger sliding connection. Stated another way, because the anvil slot 1240 and the channel slot 1140 are keyhole-shaped and have less material removed than a traditional rectangular slot, the geometry and increased material may result in a stiffer anvil and channel when compared to prior arrangements.

Turning to FIGS. 9-11, in one arrangement, the firing system 2300 further comprises an upper flexible spine assembly 2400 that is operably coupled to the top firing member feature 2320 and a lower flexible spine assembly 2500 that is operably coupled to the bottom firing member feature 2350. In at least one embodiment, the upper flexible spine assembly 2400 comprises an upper series 2410 of upper vertebra members 2420 that are loosely coupled together by an upper flexible coupler member 2402 that is attached to the top firing member feature 2320. The upper flexible coupler member 2402 may comprises a top cable 2404 that extends through the top axial passage 2324 in the top firing member feature 2320 and a distal end 2406 of the top cable 2404 is attached to a retainer ferrule 2408 that is secured with the top axial passage 2324.

As can be seen in FIG. 13, each upper vertebra member 2420 comprises an upper vertebra body portion 2422 that has a proximal end 2424 and a distal end 2428. An upper hollow passage 2429 extends through the upper vertebra body portion 2422 to accommodate passage of the upper flexible coupler member 2402 therethrough. Each upper vertebra member 2420 further comprises a downwardly extending upper drive feature or upper vertebra member tooth 2450 that protrudes from the upper vertebra body portion 2422. Each upper vertebra member tooth 2450 has a helix-shaped proximal upper face portion 2452 and a helix-shaped distal upper face portion 2454. Each proximal end 2424 of the upper vertebra body portions 2422 has an upper proximal mating feature 2426 therein and each distal end 2428 has an upper distal mating feature 2430 formed therein. In at least one embodiment, the upper proximal mating feature 2426 comprises a concave recess 2427 and each upper distal mating feature 2430 comprises a convex mound 2431. When arranged in the upper series 2410, the convex mound 2431 on one upper vertebra member 2420 contacts and mates with the concave recess 2427 on an adjacent upper vertebra member 2420 in the upper series 2410 to maintain the upper vertebra members 2420 roughly in alignment so that the helix-shaped proximal upper face portion 2452 and a helix-shaped distal upper face portion 2454 on each respective upper tooth 2450 can be drivingly engaged by a rotary drive screw 2700 as will be discussed in further detail below.

Similarly, in at least one embodiment, the lower flexible spine assembly 2500 comprises a lower series 2510 of lower vertebra members 2520 that are loosely coupled together by a lower flexible coupler member 2502 that is attached to the bottom firing member feature 2350. The lower flexible coupler member 2502 may comprises a lower cable 2504 that extends through the bottom axial passage 2354 in the bottom firing member feature 2350 and a distal end 2506 of the bottom cable 2504 is attached to a retainer ferrule 2508 that is secured with the bottom axial passage 2354.

As can be seen in FIG. 14, each lower vertebra member 2520 comprises a lower vertebra body portion 2522 that has a proximal end 2524 and a distal end 2528. A lower hollow passage 2529 extends through the lower vertebra body portion 2522 to accommodate passage of the lower flexible coupler member 2502 therethrough. Each lower vertebra member 2520 further comprises an upwardly extending lower drive feature or lower vertebra member tooth 2550 that protrudes upward from the lower vertebra body portion 2522. Each lower vertebra member tooth 2550 has a helix-shaped proximal lower face portion 2552 and a helix-shaped distal lower face portion 2554. Each proximal end 2524 of the lower vertebra body portions 2522 has a lower proximal mating feature 2526 therein and each distal end 2528 has a lower distal mating feature 2530 formed therein. In at least one embodiment, the lower proximal mating feature 2526 comprises a concave recess 2527 and each lower distal mating feature 2530 comprises a convex mound 2531. When arranged in the lower series 2510, the convex mound 2531 on one lower vertebra member 2520 contacts and mates with the concave recess 2527 on an adjacent lower vertebra member 2520 in the lower series 2510 to maintain the lower vertebra members 2520 roughly in alignment so that the helix-shaped proximal lower face portion 2552 and a helix-shaped distal lower face portion 2554 on each respective lower vertebra member tooth 2550 can be drivingly engaged by a rotary drive screw 2700 as will be discussed in further detail below.

Now turning to FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, in at least one arrangement, the firing drive system 2300 further comprises a rotary drive screw 2700 that is configured to drivingly interface with the upper series 2410 of upper vertebra members 2420 and the lower series 2510 of lower vertebra members 2520. In the illustrated arrangement, the rotary drive screw 2700 is driven by a rotary drive system 2600 that comprises a proximal rotary drive shaft 2610 that is rotatably supported within the axial passage 2126 within the proximal support shaft 2120. See FIG. 7. The proximal rotary drive shaft 2610 comprises a proximal end 2612 and a distal end 2614. The proximal end 2612 may interface with a gear box 2004 or other arrangement that is driven by a motor 2006 or other source of rotary motion housed in the housing of the surgical instrument. See FIG. 2. Such source of rotary motion causes the proximal rotary drive shaft to rotate about the shaft axis SA within the axial passage 2126 in the proximal support shaft 2120.

The proximal rotary drive shaft 2610 is operably supported within the elongate shaft assembly 2000 in a location that is proximal to the articulation joint 2200 and operably interfaces with a constant velocity (CV) drive shaft assembly 2620 that spans or extends axially through the articulation joint 2200. As can be seen in FIGS. 8, 16, and 17, in at least one arrangement, the CV drive shaft assembly 2620 comprises a proximal CV drive assembly 2630 and a distal CV drive shaft 2670. The proximal CV drive assembly 2630 comprises a proximal shaft segment 2632 that consists of an attachment shaft 2634 that is configured to be non-rotatably received within a similarly-shaped coupler cavity 2616 in the distal end 2614 of the proximal rotary drive shaft 2610. The proximal shaft segment 2632 operably interfaces with a series 2640 of movably coupled drive joints 2650.

As can be seen in FIG. 18, in at least one arrangement, each drive joint 2650 comprises a first or distal sphere portion 2660 and a second or proximal sphere portion 2652. The distal sphere portion 2660 is larger than the proximal sphere portion 2652. The distal sphere portion 2660 comprises a socket cavity 2662 that is configured to rotatably receive a proximal sphere portion 2652 of an adjacent drive joint 2650 therein. Each proximal sphere portion 2652 comprises a pair of diametrically opposed joint pins 2654 that are configured to be movably received in corresponding pin slots 2664 in the distal sphere portion 2660 of an adjacent drive joint 2650 as can be seen in FIG. 16. A proximal sphere portion 2652P of a proximal-most drive joint 2650P is rotatably received in a distal socket portion 2636 of the proximal shaft segment 2632 as shown in FIG. 16. The joint pins 2654P are received within corresponding pin slots 2637 in the distal socket portion 2636. As can be further seen in FIG. 16, a distal-most drive joint 2650D in the series 2640 of movably coupled drive joints 2650 is movably coupled to a distal CV drive shaft 2670.

In at least one arrangement, the distal CV drive shaft 2670 comprises a proximal sphere portion 2672 that is sized to be movably received in the socket cavity 2662D in the distal-most drive joint 2650D. The proximal sphere portion 2672 includes joint pins 2674 that are movably received in the pin slots 2664D in the distal-most drive joint 2650D. The distal CV drive shaft 2670 further comprises a distally extending shaft stem 2676 that is configured to be non-rotatably coupled to the rotary drive screw 2700 that is positioned distal to the articulation joint 2200. The distal CV drive shaft 2670 includes a flange 2677 and a mounting barrel portion 2678 for receiving a thrust bearing housing 2680 thereon.

In the illustrated arrangement, when the series 2640 of movably coupled drive joints 2650 articulates, the joint pins 2674 remain in the corresponding pin slots 2664 of an adjacent drive joint 2650. In the example illustrated in FIG. 18, each drive joint may be capable of approximately eighteen degrees of articulation in the pitch and yaw directions. FIG. 16 illustrates an angle of the series of 2640 of drive joints 2650 when each drive joint 2650 in the series are fully articulated ninety degrees in pitch and yaw which yields an angle α of approximately 100.9 degrees. In such arrangement, the outer surface of each distal sphere portion 2660 clears the outer surface of the adjacent or adjoining proximal sphere portion 2652 allowing for unrestricted motion until the eighteen degree limit is reached. The rigid design and limited small angles allow the series 2640 of movably coupled drive joints 2650 to carry high loads torsionally at an overall large angle.

In the illustrated arrangement, the articulation joint 2200 comprises an articulation joint spring 2230 that is supported within an outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210. The outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210 comprises a distal end 2212 that is attached to the proximal end 1112 of the elongate channel 1110. For example, as can be seen in FIG. 6, the distal end 2212 of the outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210 is attached to the proximal end 1112 of the elongate channel 1110 by a pair of cap screws 2722 that extend through a distal mounting bushing 2720 to be threadably received in the proximal end 1112 of the elongate channel 1110. A proximal end 2214 of the elastomeric joint assembly 2210 is attached to the distal end 2124 of the proximal support shaft 2120. The proximal end 2214 of the elastomeric joint assembly 2210 is attached to the distal end 2124 of the proximal support member 2120 by a pair of cap screws 2732 that extend through a proximal mounting bushing 2750 to be threadably received in threaded inserts 2125 mounted within the distal end 2124 of the proximal support shaft 2120.

To prevent the drive joints 2650 from buckling during articulation, the series 2640 of movably coupled drive joints 2650 extend through at least one low friction articulation joint spring 2730 that is supported within the outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210. See FIG. 19. The articulation joint spring 2730 is sized relative to the drive joints 2650 such that a slight radial clearance is provided between the articulation joint spring 2730 and the drive joints 2650. The articulation joint spring 2730 is designed to carry articulation loads axially which may be significantly lower than the torsional firing loads. The joint spring(s) is longer than the series 2640 of drive joints 2650 such that the drive joints are axially loose. If the “hard stack” of the series 2640 of drive joints 2650 is longer than the articulation joint spring(s) 2730 hard stack, then the drive joints 2650 may serve as an articulation compression limiter causing firing loads and articulation loads to resolve axially through the series 2640 of the drive joints 2650. When the firing loads resolve axially through the series 2640 of the drive joints 2650, the loads may try to straighten the articulation joint 2200 or in other words cause de-articulation. If the hard stack of the articulation joint spring(s) 2730 is longer than the hard stack of the series 2640 of the drive joints 2650, the firing loads will then be contained within the end effector and no firing loads will resolve through the drive joints 2650 or through the springs(s) 2730.

To further ensure that the drive joints 2650 are always engaged with each other, a proximal drive spring 2740 is employed to apply an axial biasing force to the series 2640 of drive joints 2650. For example, as can be seen in FIGS. 8, 19, and 20, the proximal drive spring 2740 is positioned between the proximal mounting bushing 2734 and a support flange that is formed between the distal socket portion 2636 and a proximal barrel portion 2638 of the proximal shaft segment 2632. In one arrangement, the proximal drive spring 2740 may comprise an elastomeric O-ring/bushing received on the proximal barrel portion 2638 of the proximal shaft segment 2632. The proximal drive spring 2740 lightly biases the drive joints 2650 together to decrease any gaps that may occur during articulation. This ensures that the drive joints 2650 transfer loads torsionally. It will be appreciated, however, that in at least one arrangement, the proximal drive spring 2740 does not apply a high enough axial load to cause firing loads to translate through the articulation joint 2200.

As can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the top firing member feature 2320 on the firing member 2310 comprises a distal upper firing member tooth segment 2330 that is equivalent to one half of an upper tooth 2450 on each upper vertebra member 2420. In addition, a proximal upper firing member tooth 2336 that is identical to an upper tooth 2450 on each upper vertebra member 2420 is spaced from the distal upper firing member tooth segment 2330. The distal upper firing member tooth segment 2330 and the proximal upper firing member tooth 2336 may be integrally formed with the top firing member feature 2320 of the firing member 2310. Likewise, the bottom firing member feature 2350 of the firing member 2310 comprises a distal lower firing member tooth 2360 and a proximal lower firing member tooth 2366 that are integrally formed on the bottom firing member feature 2350. For example, in at least one arrangement, the firing member 2310 with the rigidly attached teeth 2330, 2336, 2360, and 2366 may be fabricated at one time as one unitary component using conventional metal injection molding techniques.

As indicated above, each of the upper vertebra members 2520 is movably received on an upper flexible coupler member 2402 in the form of a top cable 2404. As was described above, the distal end 2406 of the top cable 2404 is secured to the top firing member feature 2320 of the firing member 2310. Similarly, each of the lower vertebra members 2520 is movably received on a lower flexible coupler member 2502 in the form of a lower cable 2504. A distal end 2506 of the lower cable 2504 is secured to the bottom firing member feature 2350 of the firing member 2310. In at least one arrangement, the top cable 2404 and the bottom cable 2504 extend through the proximal shaft portion 2100 and, as will be discussed in further detail below, may interface with a bailout arrangement supported in the housing for retracting the firing member 2310 back to its home or starting position should the firing member drive system fail.

Turning again to FIG. 8, the axial length AL_(u) of the upper series 2410 of upper vertebra members 2420 and the axial length AL₁ of the lower series 2510 of lower vertebra members 2520 are equal and must be sufficiently long enough to facilitate the complete distal advancement of the firing member 2310 from the home or starting position to a distal-most ending position within the staple cartridge while the proximal-most upper vertebra members 2420 in the upper series 2410 of upper vertebra members 2420 and the proximal-most lower vertebra members 2520 in the lower series 2510 of lower vertebra members 2520 remain in driving engagement with the rotary drive screw 2700. As can be seen in FIG. 8, an upper compression limiting spring 2421 is configured to interface with a proximal-most upper vertebra member 2420P in the upper series 2410 of upper vertebra members 2420. The upper compression limiting spring 2421 is journaled on the top cable 2404 and is retained in biasing engagement with the proximal-most upper vertebra member 2420P by an upper spring holder 2423 that is retained in position by an upper ferrule 2425 that is crimped onto the top cable 2404. The top cable 2404 extends through an upper hypotube 2433 that is supported in the proximal support shaft. Likewise, a lower compression limiting spring 2521 is configured to interface with a proximal-most, lower vertebra member 2520P in the lower series 2510 of lower vertebra members 2520. The lower compression spring 2521 is journaled on the lower cable 2504 and is retained in biasing engagement with the proximal-most, lower vertebra member 2520P by a lower spring holder 2523 that is retained in position by a lower ferrule 2525 that is crimped onto the lower cable 2504. The lower cable 2504 extends through a lower hypotube 2533 that is supported in the proximal support shaft.

When the upper vertebra members 2420 and the lower vertebra members 2520 angle through the articulation joint (after the end effector has been positioned in an articulated position), the gaps between the respective vertebra members 2420, 2520 increase in each series 2410, 2510 which causes the springs 2421, 2521 to become tighter. The compression limiting springs 2421, 2521 provide enough slack in the cables 2404, 2504, respectively to enable the vertebra members 2420, 2520 angle through the most extreme articulation angles. If the cables 2404, 2504 are pulled too tight, the spring holders 2423, 2523 will contact their respective proximal-most vertebra members 2420P, 2520P. Such compression limiting arrangements ensure that the vertebra members 2420, 2520 in their respective series 2410, 2510 always remain close enough together so that the rotary drive screw 2700 will always drivingly engage them in the manner discussed in further detail below. When the vertebra members 2420, 2520 are aligned straight again, the compression limiting springs 2421, 2521 may partially relax while still maintaining some compression between the vertebra members.

As indicated above, when the upper vertebra members 2420 are arranged in the upper series 2410 and lower vertebra members 2520 are arranged in the lower series 2510, the convex mounds and concave recesses in each vertebra member as well as the compression limiter springs serve to maintain the upper and lower vertebra members in relatively linear alignment for driving engagement by the rotary drive screw 2700. As can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, when the upper vertebra members 2420 are in linear alignment, the upper teeth 2450 are spaced from each other by an opening space generally designated as 2460 that facilitates driving engagement with the helical drive thread 2170 on the rotary drive screw. Similarly, when the lower vertebra members 2520 are in linear alignment, the lower vertebra member teeth 2550 are spaced from each other by an opening space generally designated as 2560 that facilitates driving engagement with the helical drive thread 2170 of the rotary drive screw 2700.

Turning to FIGS. 8 and 22, the rotary drive screw 2700 comprises a screw body 2702 that has a socket 2704 therein for receiving the distally extending shaft stem 2676 of the distal CV drive shaft 2670. An internal radial groove 2714 (FIG. 10) is formed in the screw body 2702 for supporting a plurality of ball bearings 2716 therein. In one arrangement, for example, 12 ball bearings 2716 are employed. The radial groove 2714 supports the ball bearings 2716 between the screw body 2702 and a distal end of the thrust bearing housing 2680. The ball bearings 2716 serve to distribute the axial load of the rotary drive screw 2700 and significantly reduce friction through the balls' rolling motion.

As can be seen in FIG. 23, a helical drive thread 2710 is provided around the screw body 2702 and serves to form a proximal thread scoop feature 2712. The proximal thread scoop feature 2712 is formed with a first pitch 2713 and the remaining portion of the helical drive thread 2710 is formed with a second pitch 2715 that differs from the first pitch 2713. In FIGS. 22 and 23, area 2718 illustrates where the first pitch 2713 and the second pitch 2715 converge. In at least one embodiment, the first pitch 2713 is larger than the second pitch 2715 to ensure that the rotary drive screw 2700 captures and “scoops up” or drivingly engages every upper vertebra member 2420 and every lower vertebra member 2520. As can be seen in FIG. 24, a proximal end 2717 of the helical drive thread 2710 that has the first pitch 2713 has scooped into the into the opening space 2560 between two adjacent lower vertebra member teeth 2550A and 2550B while the center portion 2719 of the helical drive thread 2710 that has the second pitch 2715 is in driving engagement with the helix-shaped distal lower face portion 2554 on the lower vertebra member tooth 2550B and the helix-shaped proximal lower face portion 2552 on the proximal lower firing member tooth 2366. As can also be appreciated, the scoop feature 2712 may not contact the helix-shaped distal lower face portion 2554A of the lower vertebra member tooth 2550A as it scoops up the lower vertebra member tooth 2550B when driving the firing member 2310 distally. The helical drive thread 2710 interacts with the teeth 2450 of the upper vertebra members 2420 in a similar manner.

A power screw is a threaded rod with a full three hundred sixty degree nut around it. Rotation of the power screw causes the nut to advance or move longitudinally. In the present arrangements, however, due to space constraints, a full three hundred sixty degree nut cannot fit inside the end effector. In a general sense, the upper flexible spine assembly 2400 and the lower flexible spine assembly 2500 comprise a radially/longitudinally segmented “power screw nut” that is rotatably driven by the rotary drive screw 2700. When the rotary drive screw is rotated in a first rotary direction, the rotary drive screw 2700 drives one or more vertebra members in each of the upper series and lower series of vertebra members longitudinally while the vertebra members 2420, 2520 stay in the same locations radially. The upper series 2410 and lower series 2510 are constrained from rotating around the rotary drive screw 2700 and can only move longitudinally. In one arrangement, the upper vertebra members 2420 in the upper series 2410 and the lower vertebra members 2520 in the lower series 2510 only surround the rotary drive screw 2700 with less than ten degrees each.

FIG. 25 illustrates the firing member 2310 in the home or starting position. As can be seen in FIG. 25, a portion of the helical drive thread 2710 on the rotary drive screw 2700 is engaged between the distal upper firing member tooth segment 2330 and the proximal upper firing member tooth 2336 and another portion of the helical drive thread 2710 is engaged between the distal lower firing member tooth 2360 and a proximal lower firing member tooth 2366 on the firing member 2310. Such arrangement enables the rotary drive screw 2700 to precisely control the distal and proximal movement of the firing member 2310 which, as will be discussed in further detail below, can result in the precise movement of the anvil 1210. Once the firing member 2310 has been sufficiently distally advanced during a firing stroke, the helical drive thread 2710 operably engages the teeth on the upper and lower vertebras. See FIG. 26.

The surgical instrument 10 also comprises an articulation system 2240 that is configured to apply articulation motions to the surgical end effector 1000 to articulate the surgical end effector relative to the elongate shaft assembly 2000. In at least one arrangement, for example, the articulation system comprises four articulation cables 2242, 2246, 2250, and 2254 that extend through the elongate shaft assembly 2000. See FIG. 27. In the illustrated arrangement, the articulation cables 2242, 2246 pass through the proximal mounting bushing 2750, the proximal end 2214 of the elastomeric joint assembly 2210, as well as a central rib segment 2216 to be secured to the distal end 2212 of the elastomeric joint assembly 2210 or other portion of the surgical instrument. Likewise, the articulation cables 2250 and 2254 extend through the proximal mounting bushing 2750, the proximal end 2214 of the elastomeric joint assembly 2210, as well as a central rib segment 2218 to be secured to the distal end 2212 of the elastomeric joint assembly 2210 or other portion of the surgical end effector. The cables 2242, 2246, 2250, and 2254 operably interface with an articulation control system that is supported in the housing of the surgical instrument 10. For example, a proximal portion of each cable 2242, 2246, 2250, and 2254 may be spooled on a corresponding rotary spool or cable-management system 2007 (FIG. 2) in the housing portion of the surgical instrument 10 that is configured to payout and retract each cable 2242, 2246, 2250, and 2254 in desired manners. The spools/cable management system may be motor powered or manually powered (ratchet arrangement, etc.). FIG. 29 illustrates articulation of the surgical end effector 1000 through a first articulation plane relative to the elongate shaft assembly 2000. FIG. 30 illustrates articulation of the surgical end effector 1000 through a second articulation plane relative to the elongate shaft assembly 2000. FIG. 31 illustrates articulation of the surgical end effector 1000 through multiple articulation planes relative to the elongate shaft assembly 2000.

FIGS. 32-34 illustrate an alternative articulation joint 2200′ in the form of an elastomeric joint assembly 2210′. As can be seen in FIG. 33, each articulation cable passes through a corresponding spring 2215′ that is mounted in the ribs 2216′ of the elastomeric joint assembly 2210′. For example, cable 2242 extends through spring 2244. Cable 2246 extends through spring 2248. Cable 2250 extends through spring 2252 and cable 2254 extends through spring 2256. As indicated above, the end effector is articulated by pulling on and relaxing the appropriate cables 2242, 2246, 2250 and 2254. To achieve higher articulation angles with greater joint stability, each of the springs 2244, 2248, 2252, and 2256 can slide through the ribs of the elastomeric joint to push the end effector and pull on the cables extending therethrough. The springs 2244, 2248, 2252, and 2256 will also retract into the ribs when the cables 2242, 2246, 2250, and 2254 are pulled tight. Each of the springs 2244, 2248, 2252, and 2256 loosely seat over the particular cable that passes therethrough. Each cable and corresponding spring may terminate or otherwise be coupled to a corresponding solid rod that is supported in the elongate shaft assembly 2000 and may be pushed and pulled from its proximal end. When the cable is pulled, the corresponding spring would carry little to no load. When the spring is pushed, the cable would carry little load, but will help limit the end effector movement. This interaction between the cable and spring may facilitate higher articulation angles that may approach ninety degrees, for example.

Because the radially/longitudinally segmented power screw nut arrangement disclosed herein does not have the same constraints as a three hundred sixty degree nut, the upper vertebra members 2420 in the upper series 2410 and the lower vertebra members 2520 in the lower series 2510 are constrained to ensure that their loads are transferred to the firing member in a longitudinal direction. To maintain each of the upper vertebra members 2420 in the desired orientation and to prevent the upper vertebra members 2420 from becoming snagged or disoriented when traversing through the articulation joint 2200, the upper vertebra members 2420 are aligned to pass through an upper sleeve 2470 that extends through an upper portion of the outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210 of the articulation joint 2200. See FIGS. 27, 28, and 35. A distal end 2472 of the upper sleeve 2470 is supported in the proximal end 1112 of the elongate channel 1110 and a proximal end 2474 of the upper sleeve 2470 is supported in the distal end of the proximal support shaft 2120. The upper sleeve 2470 is fabricated from a polymer or plastic material that has a low coefficient of friction and is flexible to enable the upper sleeve 2470 to flex with the outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210. The upper sleeve 2470 protects the upper vertebra members 2420 from contacting the outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210 that is fabricated from an elastomeric material that may have a higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the material of the upper sleeve 2470. Stated another way, the upper sleeve 2470 forms a low friction, flexible, continuous, uninterrupted, and fully encapsulating path for the upper vertebra members 2420 as they traverse the articulation joint 2200.

Similarly, a lower sleeve 2570 is employed to support the lower vertebra members 2520 as they pass through the articulation joint 2200. A distal end 2572 of the lower sleeve 2570 is supported in the proximal end of the elongate channel and a proximal end of the lower sleeve 2570 is supported in the distal end of the proximal support shaft 2120. Like the upper sleeve 2470, the lower sleeve 2570 is fabricated from a polymer or plastic material that has a low coefficient of friction and is flexible to enable the lower sleeve 2570 to flex with the outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210. The lower sleeve 2570 protects the lower vertebra members 2520 from contacting the outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210 as they pass through the articulation joint 2200. Stated another way, the lower sleeve 2570 forms a low friction, flexible, continuous, uninterrupted, and fully encapsulating path for the lower vertebra members 2520 as they traverse the articulation joint 2200. In various embodiments, the upper sleeve 2470 and the lower sleeve 2570 are configured to bend freely without creating a kink. To prevent the formation of kinks in the sleeves, in at least one arrangement, the sleeves 2470, 2570 are supported within the outer elastomeric joint assembly 2210 such that the sleeves may move axially. For example, when the articulation joint angles up, the lower sleeve 2570 may slide distally and have a large bend radius; the upper sleeve 2470 in the same example, may slide proximally and have a tighter bend radius. By moving axially, the amount of material exposed outside of the joint assembly 2210 which might otherwise be susceptible to kinking under a tight bend radius is reduced. In at least one arrangement, the distal end 2472 of the upper sleeve 2470 is formed with an upper scoop 2476 that is configured to funnel the upper vertebra members 2420 into the anvil cap 1260. Similarly, the distal end of the lower sleeve 2570 may be formed with a lower scoop that is configured to funnel the lower vertebra members 2520 into the channel slot 1140 in the elongate channel 1110.

As indicated above, the anvil mounting portion 1230 comprises a pair of laterally extending mounting pins 1232 that are configured to be received in corresponding mounting cradles or pivot cradles 1120 that are formed in the proximal end 1112 of the elongate channel 1110. The mounting pins 1232 are pivotally retained within the mounting cradles 1120 by an anvil cap 1260 that is attached to the proximal end 1112 of the elongate channel 1110 in the above-described manners. The anvil cap 1260 comprises a proximal end 1262 and a distal end 1264 and has a keyhole-shaped vertebra passage 1266 extending therethrough to accommodate passage of the top firing member feature 2320 and upper vertebra members 2420 therethrough. FIG. 36 illustrates the vertebra passage 1266 in the anvil cap 1260. When the rotary drive screw 2700 applies load to the upper vertebra members 2420, the vertebra members 2420 will tend to tilt about the area A in FIG. 37, so the upper vertebra member tooth 2450 is no longer square with the rotary drive screw 2700 and may instead experience a higher-pressure line contact. Areas B in FIG. 37 show where the upper vertebra member 2420 stops tilting. To ensure that most of the loads stay in the longitudinal direction to perform useful work, the upper vertebra member tooth 2450 must be angled the same amount as the upper vertebra member 2420 tilts. Thus, when the upper vertebra member 2420 tilts, the upper vertebra member tooth 2450 will still maintain surface contact with the helical drive member 2710 on the rotary drive screw 2700 and all loads will be directed longitudinally and not vertically. The slightly angled upper vertebra member tooth 2450 may behave like a square thread when the vertebra member 2420 is tilted and better distributes loads to lower the pressure contact. By directing most of the loads in the longitudinal direction, vertical loads are avoided which could result in the establishment of friction that would counter the longitudinal loads. The upper vertebra members 2420 react similarly as they pass down the keyhole-shaped anvil slot 1240. Likewise, the lower vertebra members 2520 react similarly as they pass through the keyhole-shaped axially extending channel slot 1140 in the elongate channel 1110.

In the illustrated arrangement, the anvil 1210 is moved to the open position by a pair of anvil springs 1270 that are supported within the proximal end of the elongate channel. See FIGS. 38, 42, and 43. The springs 1270 are positioned to apply a pivotal biasing force to corresponding anvil control arms 1234 that may be integrally formed with anvil mounting portion 1230 and extend downwardly therefrom. See FIG. 38.

FIGS. 39-41 illustrate portions of the anvil 1210, the firing member 2310, and the anvil cap 1260 when the anvil 1210 is open (FIG. 39), when the anvil 1210 is partially closed (FIG. 40) and after the firing member has been advanced distally from the home or starting position (FIG. 41). As can be seen in FIG. 39, when the firing member 2310 is in the home or starting position, the top firing member feature 2320 is completely received within the vertebra passage 1266 in the anvil cap 1260. During a firing stroke, the top firing member feature 2320 and the upper vertebra members 2420 in the upper series 2410 must transition from the vertebra passage 1266 in the anvil cap 1260 to the keyhole-shaped anvil slot 1240. Thus, it is desirable to minimize any gap “G” between the anvil mounting portion 1230 and a distal end 1264 of the anvil cap 1260. To minimize this gap G while facilitate unimpeded pivotal travel of the anvil 1210, the distal end 1264 of the anvil cap 1260 is formed with a curved cap surface 1265 that matches a curved mating surface 1231 on the anvil mounting portion 1230. Both surfaces 1265, 1231 are curved and concentric about the pivot axis PA or some other reference point. Such arrangement allows the anvil 1210 to move radially and not interfere with the anvil cap 1260 while maintaining a minimal gap G therebetween. The gap G between the anvil mounting portion 1230 and the distal end 1264 of the anvil cap 1260 is significantly shorter than a length of an upper vertebra member 2420 which facilitates easy transition of each upper vertebra member 2420 from the vertebra passage 1266 in the anvil cap 1260 to the keyhole-shaped anvil slot 1240. In addition, to further assist with the transition of the top firing member feature 2320 into the keyhole-shaped anvil slot 1240, a ramped surface 1241 is formed adjacent the curved mating surface 1231 on the anvil mounting portion 1230. As the firing member 2310 is initially advanced distally from the home or starting position, a distal end of the top firing member feature 2320 contacts the ramped surface 1241 and begins to apply a closing motion to the anvil 1210 as can be seen in FIG. 40. Further distal advancement of the firing member 2310 during the firing stroke or firing sequence causes the top firing member feature to enter the keyhole shaped anvil slot 1240 to completely close the anvil 1210 and retain the anvil 1210 in the closed position during the firing sequence. See FIG. 41.

In general, the highest firing forces established in an endocutter are associated with cutting and stapling tissue. If those same forces can be used to close the anvil, then the forces generated during pre-clamping and grasping of tissue can be high as well. In at least one arrangement, the firing member body 2312 further comprises a firing member wing or tab 2355 that extends laterally from each lateral side of the firing member body 2312. See FIGS. 15 and 36. The firing member wings 2355 are positioned to contact the corresponding anvil control arms 1234 when the firing member 2310 is driven in the proximal direction PD from the home or starting position to quickly close the anvil 1210 for grasping purposes. In at least one arrangement, when the firing member 2310 is in the home or starting position, the firing member wings 2355 are located distal to the anvil control arms 1234 as shown in FIG. 42. When the firing member 3210 is moved proximally, the firing member wings 2355 push the anvil control arms 1234 (pivotal direction C) against the bias of the anvil springs 1270. See FIG. 42. In one arrangement, the firing member 2310 only has to move a short distance D to pivot the anvil 1210 to a closed position. In one embodiment, distance D may be approximately 0.070 inches long, for example. This short movement allows for a quick response. Because the anvil pivot point or pivot axis PA is relatively far from the firing member wings 2355 which creates a substantial moment arm, the proximal movement of the firing member 2310 (and firing member wings 2355) results in an application of high pre-compression torque to the anvil 1210 to move the anvil 1210 to a closed position. Thus, the firing member wings 2355 may be referred to herein as “pre-compression features”. See FIG. 43. Thus, the clinician may use the surgical end effector 1000 to grasp and manipulate tissue between the anvil 1210 and the surgical staple cartridge 1300 without cutting the tissue and forming the staples, by advancing the firing member 2310 proximally the short distance D to cause the anvil 1210 to quickly pivot to a closed position.

The firing member 2310 may be moved in the proximal direction PD by rotating the rotary drive screw 2700 in a second rotary direction. Thus, when the firing member 2310 is in the “home” or starting position, the anvil 1210 may be biased into the fully open position by the anvil springs 1270. Activation of the rotary drive system 2600 to apply a rotary motion to the rotary drive screw 2700 in a first rotary direction will cause the firing member 2310 to be advanced distally from the home or starting position to apply an anvil closure motion to the anvil 1210 to move the anvil closed to clamp the target tissue between the anvil 1210 and the surgical staple cartridge 1300. Continued rotation of the rotary drive screw in the first rotary direction will cause the firing member 2310 to continue to distally advance through the surgical end effector 1000. As the firing member 2310 moves distally, the firing member 2310 contacts a sled 1312 (FIG. 19) that is supported in the surgical staple cartridge 1300 and drives the sled 1312 distally through the staple cartridge body 1302. When the firing member 2310 is in the home or starting position, the surgeon may wish to use the surgical end effector to grasp and manipulate tissue. To do so, the rotary drive system is actuated to apply a second rotary drive motion to the rotary drive screw 2700 in a second rotary direction that is opposite to the first rotary direction. Such rotary movement of the rotary drive screw 2700 in the second rotary direction will drive the firing member 2310 proximally from the starting position and cause the anvil 1210 to quickly pivot to the closed position. Thus, in accordance with at least one embodiment, the “home or starting position” of the firing member 2310 is not its proximal-most position.

If during the firing process, the rotary drive system 2600 quits rotating, the firing member 2310 may become stuck within the surgical end effector. In such instance, the top firing member feature 2320 may remain engaged with the anvil 1210 and the bottom firing member feature 2350 may remain engaged with the elongate channel 1110 and thereby prevent the surgeon from moving the anvil 1210 to an open position to release the tissue clamped between anvil 1210 and surgical staple cartridge 1300. This could occur, for example, if the motor or other control arrangement supplying the rotary drive motions to the rotary drive shaft 2610 fails or otherwise becomes inoperative. In such instances, the firing member 2310 may be retracted back to the home or starting position within the surgical end effector 1000 by pulling the top cable 2404 and the lower cable 2504 in a proximal direction. For example, a proximal portion of the top cable 2404 and a proximal portion of the lower cable 2505 may be spooled on a rotary spool or cable-management system 2009 (FIG. 2) in the housing portion of the surgical instrument 10 that is configured to payout the top cable 2404 and lower cable 2504 during the firing stroke and also retract the cables 2404, 2504 in a proximal direction should the firing member 2310 need to be retracted. The cable management system 2009 may be motor powered or manually powered (ratchet arrangement, etc.) to apply retraction motions to the cables 2404, 2504. When the cables 2404, 2504 are retracted, the upper vertebra members 2420 and lower vertebra members 2520 will cause the rotary drive screw 2700 to spin in reverse.

The following equation may be used to determine whether the rotary drive screw 2700 will spin in reverse depending upon the lead (L), pitch diameter (d_(p)), tooth angle (α) and friction (μ):

$\mu \geq {\frac{L}{\pi d_{p}}\;\cos\;\alpha}$

The rotary drive screw 2700 may self-lock if the above equation is true. For the most part, in many instances, the pitch diameter is mostly fixed for an endocutter, but the lead and tooth angle are variable. Because the upper vertebra member teeth 2450 and lower vertebra member teeth 2550 are mostly square, the rotary drive screw 2700 is more likely to be back drivable (cos (90)=1). The leads of the upper vertebra member teeth 2450 and lower vertebra member teeth 2550 may also be advantageous in that the rolling friction between the vertebra members 2420, 2520 and the rotary drive screw 2700 is more likely to enable the rotary drive screw 2700 to be back driven. Thus, in the event of an emergency, the surgeon can pull on the upper and lower cables 2404, 2504 in the proximal direction to cause the firing member 2310 to fully retract for a quick “bailout”.

As indicated above, the relative control motions for the rotary drive system 2600, as well as the various cable-management systems employed in connection with the firing system 2300 and the articulation control system 2240, may be supported within a housing 2002 which may be handheld or comprise a portion of a larger automated surgical system. The firing system 2300, articulation control system 2240, and the rotary drive system 2600 may, for example, be motor-controlled and operated by one or more control circuits.

One method of using the surgical instrument 10 may involve the use of the surgical instrument 10 to cut and staple target tissue within a patient using laparoscopic techniques. For example, one or more trocars may have been placed through the abdominal wall of a patient to provide access to a target tissue within the patient. The surgical end effector 1000 may be inserted through one trocar and one or more cameras or other surgical instruments may be inserted through the other trocar(s). To enable the surgical end effector 1000 to pass through the trocar cannula, the surgical end effector 1000 is positioned in an unarticulated orientation and the jaws 1100 and 1200 must be closed. To retain the jaws 1100 and 1200 in the closed position for insertion purposes, for example, the rotary drive system 2600 may be actuated to apply the second rotary motion to the rotary drive screw 2700 to cause the firing member 2310 to move proximally from the starting position to move the anvil 1210 (jaw 1200) to the closed position. See FIG. 44. The rotary drive system 2600 is deactivated to retain the firing member 2310 in that position. Once the surgical end effector has passed into the abdomen through the trocar, the rotary drive system 2600 may be activated to cause the rotary drive screw 2700 to drive the firing member 2310 distally back to the starting position wherein the anvil springs 1270 will pivot the anvil 1210 to the open position. See FIG. 38.

Once inside the abdomen and before engaging the target tissue, the surgeon may need to articulate the surgical end effector 1000 into an advantageous position. The articulation control system 2240 is then actuated to articulate the surgical end effector in one or more planes relative to a portion of the elongate shaft assembly 2000 that is received within the cannula of the trocar. Once the surgeon has oriented the surgical end effector 1000 in a desirable position, the articulation control system 2240 is deactivated to retain the surgical end effector 1000 in the articulated orientation. The surgeon may then use the surgical end effector to grasp the target tissue or adjacent tissue by activating the rotary drive system to rotate the rotary drive screw in the second rotary direction to move the firing member proximally to cause the anvil 1210 to rapidly close to grasp the tissue between the anvil 1210 and the surgical staple cartridge 1300. The anvil 1210 may be opened by reversing the rotation of the rotary drive screw 2700. This process may be repeated as necessary until the target tissue has be properly positioned between the anvil 1210 and the surgical staple cartridge 1300.

Once the target tissue has been positioned between the anvil 1210 and the surgical staple cartridge, the surgeon may commence the closing and firing process by activating the rotary drive system 2600 to drive the firing member 2310 distally from the starting position. As the firing member 2310 moves distally from the starting position, the firing member 2310 applies a closure motion to the anvil 1210 and moves the anvil 1210 from the open position to the closed position in the manners discussed above. As the firing member 2310 moves distally, the firing member 2310 retains the anvil 1210 in the closed position thereby clamping the target tissue between the anvil 1210 and the surgical staple cartridge 1300. As the firing member 2310 moves distally, the firing member 2310 contacts a sled 1312 supported in the surgical staple cartridge 1300 and also drives the sled 1312 distally through the staple cartridge body 1302. The sled 1312 serially drives rows of drivers supported in the staple cartridge toward the clamped target tissue. Each driver has supported thereon one or more surgical staples or fasteners which are then driven through the target tissue and into forming contact with the underside of the anvil 1210. As the firing member 2310 moves distally, the tissue cutting edge 2314 thereon cuts through the stapled tissue.

After the firing member 2310 has been driven distally to the ending position within the surgical end effector 1000 (FIG. 45), the rotary drive system 2600 is reversed which causes the firing member 2310 to retract proximally back to the home or starting position. Once the firing member 2310 has returned to the starting position, the anvil springs 1270 will pivot the anvil 1210 to the open position to enable the surgeon to release the stapled tissue from the surgical end effector 1000. Once the stapled tissue has been released, the surgical end effector may be withdrawn out of the patient through the trocar cannula. To do so, the surgeon must first actuate the articulation control system 2240 to return the surgical end effector 1000 to an unarticulated position and actuate the rotary drive system to drive the firing member 2310 proximally from the home or starting position to close the jaws. Thereafter, the surgical end effector 1000 may be withdrawn through the trocar cannula. If during the firing process or during the retraction process, the firing system becomes inoperative, the surgeon may retract the firing member 2310 back to the starting position by applying a pulling motion to the cables 2404, 2505 in the proximal direction in the various manners described herein.

FIGS. 46-68 illustrate another surgical instrument 22010 that in many aspects is identical or very similar to the surgical instrument 10 described above, except for the various differences discussed below. Like surgical instrument 10, surgical instrument 22010 may address many of the challenges facing surgical instruments with articulatable end effectors that are configured to cut and fasten tissue. In various embodiments, the surgical instrument 22010 may comprise a handheld device. In other embodiments, the surgical instrument 22010 may comprises an automated system sometimes referred to as a robotically-controlled system, for example. In various forms, the surgical instrument 22010 comprises a surgical end effector 23000 that is operably coupled to an elongate shaft assembly 24000. The elongate shaft assembly 24000 may be operably attached to a housing that is handheld or otherwise comprises a portion of a robotic system as was discussed above.

As can be seen in FIG. 49, in one form, the surgical end effector 23000 comprises a first jaw 23100 and a second jaw 23200. In the illustrated arrangement, the first jaw 23100 comprises an elongate channel 23110 that comprises a proximal end 23112 and a distal end 23114 and is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge 1300 therein. The elongate channel 23110 has an open bottom to facilitate ease of assembly and has a channel cover 23113 that is configured to be attached thereto (welded, etc.) to cover the opening and add rigidity to the elongate channel 23110. In the illustrated arrangement, the second jaw 23200 comprises an anvil 23210 that comprises an elongate anvil body 23212 that comprises a proximal end 23214 and a distal end 23216. In one arrangement, an anvil cover 23213 is provided to facilitate assembly of the device and add rigidity to the anvil 23210 when it is attached (welded, etc.) to the anvil body 23212. The anvil body 23212 comprises a staple-forming undersurface 23218 that faces the first jaw 23100 and may include a series of staple-forming pockets (not shown) that corresponds to each of the staples or fasteners in the surgical staple cartridge 1300. The proximal end 23214 of the anvil body 23212 comprises an anvil mounting portion 23230 that includes a pair of laterally extending mounting pins 23232 that are configured to be received in corresponding mounting cradles or pivot cradles 23120 formed in the proximal end 23112 of the elongate channel 23110. The mounting pins 23232 are pivotally retained within the mounting cradles 23120 by an anvil cap 23260 that may be attached to the proximal end 23112 of the elongate channel 23110 by screws 23261. In other arrangements, the anvil cap 23260 may be attached to the elongate channel 23110 by welding, adhesive, etc. Such arrangement facilitates pivotal travel of the anvil 23210 relative to the surgical staple cartridge 1300 mounted in the elongate channel 23110 about a pivot axis PA between an open position (FIG. 47) and a closed position (FIG. 48). Such pivot axis PA may be referred to herein as being “fixed” in that the pivot axis does not translate or otherwise move as the anvil 23210 is pivoted from an open position to a closed position.

In the illustrated arrangement, the anvil 23210 is moved to the open position by a pair of anvil springs 23270 that are supported within the proximal end 23112 of the elongate channel 23110. See FIGS. 49 and 62. The springs 23270 are positioned to apply a pivotal biasing force to corresponding portions of the anvil 23210 to apply opening forces thereto. See FIG. 47.

In the illustrated arrangement, the elongate shaft assembly 24000 defines a shaft axis SA and comprises a proximal shaft portion 24100 that may operably interface with a housing of the control portion (e.g., handheld unit, robotic tool driver, etc.) of the surgical instrument 22010. The elongate shaft assembly 24000 further comprises an articulation joint 24200 that is attached to the proximal shaft portion 24100 and the surgical end effector 23000. In various instances, the proximal shaft portion 24100 comprises a hollow outer tube 24110 that may be operably coupled to a housing in the various manners discussed above. As can be seen in FIG. 49, the proximal shaft portion 24100 may further comprise a rigid proximal support shaft 24120 that is supported within the hollow outer tube 24110 and extends from the housing to the articulation joint 24200. The rigid proximal support shaft 24120 may comprise a first half 24120A and a second half 24120B that may be coupled together by, for example, welding, adhesive, etc. The rigid proximal support shaft 24120 comprises a proximal end 24122 and a distal end 24124 and includes an axial passage 24126 that extends therethrough from the proximal end 24122 to the distal end 24124.

As was discussed above, many surgical end effectors employ a firing member that is pushed distally through a surgical staple cartridge by an axially movable firing beam. The firing beam is commonly attached to the firing member in the center region of the firing member body. This attachment location can introduce an unbalance to the firing member as it is advanced through the end effector. Such unbalance can lead to undesirable friction between the firing member and the end effector jaws. The creation of this additional friction may require an application of a higher firing force to overcome such friction as well as can cause undesirable wear to portions of the jaws and/or the firing member. An application of higher firing forces to the firing beam may result in unwanted flexure in the firing beam as it traverses the articulation joint. Such additional flexure may cause the articulation joint to de-articulate—particularly when the surgical end effector is articulated at relatively high articulation angles. The surgical instrument 22010 employs a firing system 24300 that is identical to or very similar in many aspects as firing system 2300 described above. As such, only those aspects of the firing system 24300 needed to understand the operation of the surgical instrument 22010 will be discussed below.

As can be seen in FIGS. 50-54, in at least one embodiment, the firing system 24300 comprises a firing member 24310 that includes a vertically-extending firing member body 24312 that comprises a top firing member feature 24320 and a bottom firing member feature 24350. A tissue cutting blade 24314 is attached to or formed in the vertically-extending firing member body 24312. See FIGS. 50 and 51. In at least one arrangement, it is desirable for the firing member 24310 to pass through the anvil body 23212 with low friction, high strength and high stiffness. In the illustrated arrangement, the top firing member feature 24320 comprises a T-shaped body 24322 that has two laterally extending tabs 24323 protruding therefrom and a top axial passage 24324 extending therethrough. See FIG. 53. The bottom firing member feature 24350 comprises a T-shaped body 24352 that has two laterally extending tabs 24353 protruding therefrom and a bottom axial passage 24354 extending therethrough. See FIG. 50. In at least one arrangement, the top firing member feature 24320 and the bottom firing member feature 24350 are integrally formed with the vertically-extending firing member body 24312. As can be seen in FIG. 54, the anvil body 23212 comprises an axially extending anvil slot 23240 that defines two opposed ledges 23241 for slidably receiving the laterally extending tabs 24323 thereon. Similarly, the elongate channel 23110 comprises an axially extending channel slot 23140 that defines axially extending channel ledges 23141 that are configured to slidably receive the laterally extending tabs 24353 thereon.

In the illustrated arrangement, the firing system 24300 comprises an upper flexible spine assembly 24400 that is operably coupled to the top firing member feature 24320 of the firing member 24310. In at least one embodiment, the upper flexible spine assembly 24400 comprises an upper series 24410 of upper vertebra members 24420 that are loosely coupled together by an upper flexible coupler member 24440 that extends through each of the upper vertebra members 24420 and is attached to the top firing member feature 24320.

As can be seen in FIG. 52, each upper vertebra member 24420 is substantially T-shaped when viewed from an end thereof. In one aspect, each upper vertebra member 24420 comprises an upper vertebra body portion 24422 that has a proximal end 24424 and a distal end 24428. Each upper vertebra member 24420 further comprises a downwardly extending upper drive feature or upper vertebra member tooth 24450 that protrudes from the upper vertebra body portion 24422. Each upper vertebra member tooth 24450 has a helix-shaped proximal upper face portion 24452 and a helix-shaped distal upper face portion 24454. Each proximal end 24424 of the upper vertebra body portions 24422 has an arcuate or slightly concave curved shape and each distal end 24428 has an arcuate or slightly convex curved shape. When arranged in the upper series 24410, the convex distal end 24428 on one upper vertebra member 24420 contacts and mates with the concave proximal end 24424 on an adjacent upper vertebra member 24420 in the upper series 24410 to maintain the upper vertebra members 24420 roughly in alignment so that the helix-shaped proximal upper face portion 24452 and a helix-shaped distal upper face portion 24454 on each respective upper vertebra member tooth 24450 can be drivingly engaged by a rotary drive screw 2700 in the various manners disclosed herein. These curved mating surfaces on the upper vertebra members 24420 allow the upper vertebras members 24420 to better transfer loads between themselves even when they tilt.

In at least one embodiment, an upper alignment member 24480 is employed to assist with the alignment of the upper vertebra members 24420 in the upper series 24410. In one arrangement, the alignment member 24480 comprises a spring member or metal cable which may be fabricated from Nitinol wire, spring steel, etc., and be formed with a distal upper looped end 24482 and two upper leg portions 24484 that extend through corresponding upper passages 24425 in each upper vertebra body portion 24422. The upper flexible coupler member 24440 extends through an upper passage 24429 in each of the upper vertebra members 24420 to be attached to the firing member 24310. In particular, a distal end portion 24442 extends through the top axial passage 24324 in the top firing member feature 24320 and is secured therein by an upper retention lug 24444. A proximal portion of the upper flexible coupler member 24440 may interface with a corresponding rotary spool or cable-management system of the various types and designs disclosed herein that serve to payout and take up the upper flexible coupler member 24440 to maintain a desired amount of tension therein during operation and articulation of the surgical end effector 23000. The cable management system may be motor powered or manually powered (ratchet arrangement, etc.) to maintain a desired amount of tension in the upper flexible coupler member 24440. The amount of tension in each flexible coupler member may vary depending upon the relative positioning of the surgical end effector 23000 to the elongate shaft assembly 24000.

The firing system 24300 further comprises a lower flexible spine assembly 24500 that is operably coupled to the bottom firing member feature 24350. The lower flexible spine assembly 24500 comprises a lower series 24510 of lower vertebra members 24520 that are loosely coupled together by a lower flexible coupler member 24540 that extends through each of the lower vertebra members 24520 and is attached to the bottom firing member feature 24350. As can be seen in FIG. 52, each lower vertebra member 24520 is substantially T-shaped when viewed from an end thereof. In one aspect, each lower vertebra member 24520 comprises a lower vertebra body portion 24522 that has a proximal end 24524 and a distal end 24528. Each lower vertebra member 24520 further comprises an upwardly extending lower drive feature or lower vertebra member tooth 24550 that protrudes from the lower vertebra body portion 24522. Each lower vertebra member tooth 24550 has a helix-shaped proximal lower face portion 24552 and a helix-shaped distal lower face portion 24554. The proximal end 24524 of each lower vertebra body portions 24522 has an arcuate or slightly concave curved shape and each distal end 24528 has an arcuate or slightly convex curved shape. When arranged in the lower series 24510, the convex distal end 24528 on one lower vertebra member 24520 contacts and mates with the concave proximal end 24524 on an adjacent lower vertebra member 24520 in the lower series 24510 to maintain the lower vertebra members 24520 roughly in alignment so that the helix-shaped proximal lower face portion 24552 and a helix-shaped distal lower face portion 24554 on each respective lower vertebra member tooth 24550 can be drivingly engaged by the rotary drive screw 2700 in the various manners disclosed herein. These curved mating surfaces on the lower vertebra members 24520 allow the lower vertebra members 24520 to better transfer loads between themselves even when they tilt.

In at least one embodiment, a lower alignment member 24580 is employed to assist with the alignment of the lower vertebra members 24520 in the lower series 24510. In one arrangement, the lower alignment member 24580 comprises a spring member or metal cable which may be fabricated from Nitinol wire, spring steel, etc., and be formed with a distal lower looped end 24582 and two lower leg portions 24584 that extend through corresponding lower passages 24525 in each lower vertebra body portion 24522. The lower flexible coupler member 24540 extends through the bottom axial passage 24529 in each of the lower vertebra members 24520 to be attached to the firing member 24310. In particular, a distal end portion 24542 of the lower flexible coupler member 24540 extends through the bottom axial passage 24354 in the bottom firing member feature 24350 and is secured therein by a lower retention lug 24544. A proximal portion of the lower flexible coupler member 24540 may interface with a corresponding rotary spool or cable-management system of the various types and designs disclosed herein that serve to payout and take up the lower flexible coupler member 24540 to maintain a desired amount of tension therein during operation and articulation of the surgical end effector 23000. The cable management system may be motor powered or manually powered (ratchet arrangement, etc.) to maintain a desired amount of tension in the lower flexible coupler member 24540. The amount of tension in each flexible coupler member may vary depending upon the relative positioning of the surgical end effector 23000 to the elongate shaft assembly 24000.

In accordance with at least one aspect, a large surface area is advantageous for distributing the force between the vertebra members when they push so that the vertebra members cannot twist relative to each other. The available area in the anvil and channel is limited and the anvil and channel must remain stiff. The T-shaped upper vertebra members 24420 and the T-shaped lower vertebra members 24520 are designed to fit in the limited spaces available in the anvil 23210 and the elongate channel 23110 while ensuring that there is a large amount of area to distribute the firing loads. The curved surfaces on each upper vertebra member 24420 and each lower vertebra member 24520 allow each of those vertebras to better transfer loads between themselves even when they tilt. The upper alignment member 24480 and the lower alignment member 24580 may also serve to prevent the upper vertebra members 24420 and the lower vertebra members 24520 from twisting relative to each other. The large surface area may also help to prevent galling of the vertebra members and/or the anvil and channel. The upper flexible spine assembly 24400 and the lower flexible spine assembly 24500 otherwise operably interface with the rotary drive screw 2700 arrangements as disclosed herein. The upper flexible coupler member 24440 and the lower flexible coupler member 24540 may also be used in the manners discussed above to retract the firing member 24310 back to its starting position if, during a firing stroke, the firing drive system 24300 fails.

As can be seen in FIG. 51, the top firing member feature 24320 on the firing member 24310 comprises a distal upper firing member tooth segment 24330 that is equivalent to one half of an upper vertebra member tooth 24450 on each upper vertebra member 24420. In addition, two proximal upper firing member teeth 24336 that are identical to an upper vertebra member tooth 24450 on each upper vertebra member 24420 are spaced from the distal upper firing member tooth segment 24330. The distal upper firing member tooth segment 24330 and the proximal upper firing member teeth 24336 may each be integrally formed with the top firing member feature 24320 of the firing member 24310. Likewise, the bottom firing member feature 24350 of the firing member 24310 comprises a distal lower firing member tooth 24360 and two proximal lower firing member teeth 24366 that are integrally formed on the bottom firing member feature 24350. For example, in at least one arrangement, the firing member 24310 with the rigidly attached teeth 24330, 24336, 24360, and 24366 may be fabricated at one time as one unitary component using conventional metal injection molding techniques. The person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the firing member 24310 operates in essentially the same manner as the firing member 2310 as was described in detail herein.

Turning now to FIGS. 55-58, in accordance with at least one aspect, the articulation joint 24200 comprises a movable exoskeleton assembly 24800. In one form, the movable exoskeleton assembly 24800 comprises a series 24802 of movably interfacing annular rib members 24810. As can be seen in FIGS. 55-57, each annular rib member 24810 comprises a first or proximal face 24820 that comprises a convex or domed portion 24822. Each annular rib member 24810 further comprises a second or distal face 24830 that is concave or dished. Each annular rib member 24810 further comprises an upper spine passage 24840 that is configured to accommodate passage of the upper flexible spine assembly 24400 therethrough and a lower spine passage 24842 that is configured to accommodate passage of the lower flexible spine assembly 24500 therethrough. In addition, each annular rib member 24810 further comprises four articulation passages 24850, 24852, 24854, and 24856 to accommodate passage of articulation actuators in the form of articulation cables 24242, 22446, 24250, and 24254 therethrough. See FIG. 49. Each annular rib member 24810 further comprises a central drive passage 24860 that is configured to accommodate passage of the constant velocity (CV) drive shaft assembly 2620 therethrough.

As can be seen in FIG. 58, the movable exoskeleton assembly 24800 comprises a proximal attachment rib 24870 that is configured to attach the movable exoskeleton assembly 24800 to the distal end 24124 of the proximal support shaft 24120 by cap screws 24880 or other suitable fastener arrangements. The proximal attachment rib 24870 comprises a first or distal face 24872 that is concave or dished to receive or movably interface with the convex or domed portion 24822 of the proximal face 24820 of a proximal-most annular rib member 24810P. Similarly, the movable exoskeleton assembly 24800 comprises a distal attachment rib 24890 that is configured to attach the movable exoskeleton assembly 24800 to the proximal end 23112 of the elongate channel 23110 by cap screws 24882 or other suitable fasteners. The distal attachment rib 24890 comprises a first or proximal face 24892 that comprises a convex or domed portion 24894 that configured to be received in or movably interface with the concave or dished distal face 24832 of a distal-most annular rib member 24810D. In various embodiments, the annular rib members 24810, 24810P, and 24810D may be fabricated from any suitable metal (e.g., stainless steel, titanium, etc.) or other suitable material. The annular rib members 24810, 24810P, and 24810D may be formed by suitable drawing or forming operations, by machining or casting. The proximal faces 24820 and the distal faces 24830 may be polished or otherwise finished to a desirable smooth finish to reduce friction and facilitate movement between the annular rib members 24810, 24810P, and 24810D. In accordance with one aspect, all edges on each annular rib member 24810, 24810P, 24810D are rounded to facilitate relative movement between the annular rib members. The proximal attachment rib 24870 and the distal attachment rib 24890 may be formed with similar attributes.

The surgical instrument 22010 also comprises an articulation system 24240 that is configured to apply articulation motions to the surgical end effector 23000 to articulate the surgical end effector 23000 relative to the elongate shaft assembly 24000. In at least one arrangement, for example, as mentioned above, the articulation system 24240 comprises four articulation cables 24242, 24246, 24250, and 24254 that extend through the elongate shaft assembly 2400. See FIG. 49. In the illustrated arrangement, the articulation cables 24242, 24246 pass through the proximal attachment rib 24870 and through each of the annular rib members 24810P, 24810, and 24810D to be secured to the distal attachment rib 24890. In one arrangement for example, each of the articulation cables 24242, 24246 are secured to the distal attachment rib 24890 by corresponding attachment lugs 24243. See FIGS. 61 and 63. Likewise, the articulation cables 24250 and 24254 extend through the proximal attachment rib 24870 and through each of the annular rib members 24810P, 24810, and 24810D to be secured to the distal attachment rib 24890 by corresponding attachment lugs 24243.

In one arrangement, each of the articulation cables 24242, 24246, 24250, and 24254 extend through corresponding coil springs 24896 that are supported in cavities 24125 in the distal end 24124 of the rigid proximal support shaft 24120. In addition, each coil spring 24896 is associated with a tensioning lug 24897 that is also journaled onto each respective articulation cable 24242, 24246, 24250, and 24524 and is secured thereon to attain a desired amount of compression in each spring 24896 which serves to retain the annular rib members 24810P, 24810, and 24810D in movable engagement with each other and with the proximal attachment rib 24870 and the distal attachment rib 24890. The cables 24242, 24246, 24250, and 24254 operably interface with an articulation control system that is supported in the housing of the surgical instrument 22010. For example, as was discussed above, a proximal portion of each cable 24242, 24246, 24250, and 24254 may be spooled on a corresponding rotary spool or cable-management system 2007 (FIG. 2) in the housing portion of the surgical instrument 22010 that is configured to payout and retract each cable 24242, 24246, 24250, and 24254 in desired manners. The spools/cable management system may be motor powered or manually powered (ratchet arrangement, etc.). FIG. 59 illustrates the articulation joint 24200 in an unarticulated position and FIG. 60 illustrates the articulation joint in one articulated configuration. Such arrangement permits the surgical end effector 23000 to be articulated through multiple articulation planes relative to the elongate shaft assembly 24000.

As can be seen in FIGS. 49, 58, and 64, the surgical instrument 22010 employs a constant velocity (CV) drive shaft assembly 2620 that spans or extends axially through the articulation joint 24200. The operation and construction of the CV drive shaft assembly 2620 was described in detail above and will not be repeated here beyond what is necessary to understand the operation of the surgical instrument 22010. Briefly as described above, the CV drive shaft assembly 2620 comprises a proximal CV drive assembly 2630 and a distal CV drive shaft 2670. The proximal CV drive assembly 2630 comprises a proximal shaft segment 2632 that consists of an attachment shaft 2634 that is configured to be non-rotatably received within a similarly-shaped coupler cavity 2616 in the distal end 2614 of the proximal rotary drive shaft 2610. The proximal shaft segment 2632 operably interfaces with a series 2640 of movably coupled drive joints 2650. As can be seen in FIG. 58 as was also described previously, to ensure that the drive joints 2650 are engaged with each other, a proximal drive spring 2740 is employed to apply an axial biasing force to the series 2640 of drive joints 2650. For example, as can be seen in FIG. 58, proximal drive spring 2740 is positioned between the proximal mounting bushing 2734 and a support flange that is formed between the distal socket portion 2636 and a proximal barrel portion 2638 of the proximal shaft segment 2632. In one arrangement, the proximal drive spring 2740 may comprise an elastomeric O-ring received on the proximal barrel portion 2638 of the proximal shaft segment 2632. The proximal drive spring 2740 lightly biases the drive joints 2650 together to decrease any gaps that occur during articulation. This ensures that the drive joints 2650 transfer loads torsionally. It will be appreciated, however, that in at least one arrangement, the proximal drive spring 2740 does not apply a high enough axial load to cause firing loads to translate through the articulation joint 2200.

To further prevent the drive joints 2650 from buckling during articulation, the series 2640 of movably coupled drive joints 2650 extend through at least one low friction drive cover 24730 that extends through the central drive passage 24860 in each of the annular rib members 24810. In the arrangement depicted in FIGS. 63 and 65, the drive cover 24730 comprises an outer and inner cut hypotube 24732. Such hypotube 24732 may be fashioned from metal (e.g., stainless steel, etc.) and have multiple series of cuts or slits therein that may be made using laser cutter arrangements. In the illustrated arrangement, the hypotube 24732 may be fabricated with an upper relief passage 24734 that provides clearance for the upper flexible spine assembly 24400 to pass thereover during operation while the surgical end effector 23000 is in an articulated position and articulated positions. In addition, the hypotube 24732 may have a lower relief passage 24736 to provide similar clearance for the lower flexible spine assembly 24500. As can also be seen in FIG. 65, the hypotube 24732 may be shaped with diametrically opposed lateral tab portions 24738 to provide lateral stability during articulation. FIG. 66 illustrates an alternative drive cover 24730′ that comprises an inner cut hypotube 24732′. FIGS. 58, 67, 68, and 69 illustrate an alternative drive cover 24730″ that comprises flexible heat shrink tubing 24732″ that is applied over the constant velocity (CV) drive shaft assembly 2620. In still other arrangements, the drive cover may comprise a coiled spring or coiled member as well.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide advantages over previous surgical endocutter configurations that are capable of articulation. For example, pushing a firing member forward in an articulating end effector generally requires a lot of force and that force must be balanced. For example, when firing the firing member at an angle of greater than sixty degrees, it becomes very difficult to push a beam through the articulation joint. The joint also experiences significant loads which may cause the articulation joint to de-articulate. By employing an upper flexible drive arrangement and a lower flexible drive arrangement that are each flexible through the articulation joint, but then become rigid when they are distal to the articulation joint can allow for a large degree of articulation (e.g., articulation angles over seventy degrees) while applying balanced loads to the firing member that are constrained to the firing member and not to the articulation joint. Stated another way, torsional loads are applied proximal to the articulation joint instead of longitudinal loads which could lead to de-articulation of the end effector. The torsional loads are converted to longitudinal loads at a position that is distal to the articulation joint. Thus, the rotary drive screw serves to actually convert torsional motion or loads to longitudinal loads that are applied to the firing member at a location that is distal to the articulation joint.

Further, by longitudinally breaking up the threaded drive arrangements, the threaded drive arrangements pass through the articulation joint while also effectively decreasing the length of the surgical end effector. For example, each single vertebra tooth is significantly shorter than multiple pitches rigidly connected. The vertebra can angle as they pass through the articulation joint. This flexible interconnection enables the rotary drive screw to be closely positioned to the articulation joint as compared to being significantly spaced therefrom if all of the pitches were rigidly connected.

FIGS. 70-73 illustrate another surgical end effector 4000 that may be employed with a surgical instrument 3010 that may be similar to the surgical instrument 10 in many aspects. The surgical end effector 4000 may be similar to the surgical end effector 1000 except for the differences discussed below. The surgical end effector 4000 is operably coupled to an elongate shaft assembly 5000. The elongate shaft assembly 5000 may be operably attached to a housing portion of the surgical instrument 3010. The housing may comprise a handle that is configured to be grasped, manipulated and actuated by the clinician. In other embodiments, the housing may comprise a portion of a robotic system that houses or otherwise operably supports at least one drive system that is configured to generate and apply at least one control motion which could be used to actuate the surgical end effectors disclosed herein and their respective equivalents.

In at least one form, the surgical end effector 4000 comprises a first jaw 4100 and a second jaw 4200. In the illustrated arrangement, the first jaw 4100 comprises an elongate channel 4110 that comprises a proximal end 4112 and a distal end 4114 and is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge 1300 therein. In the illustrated arrangement, the second jaw 4200 comprises an anvil 4210 that may be similar to anvil 1210 described above. In the illustrated arrangement, the elongate shaft assembly 5000 defines a shaft axis SA and comprises a proximal shaft segment that operably interfaces with a housing of the control portion (e.g., handheld unit, robotic tool driver, etc.) of the surgical instrument 3010. The elongate shaft assembly 5000 further comprises an articulation joint 5200 that is attached to a proximal shaft portion and the surgical end effector 4000.

The elongate shaft assembly 5000 may comprise a distal spine assembly 5010 that is attached to the proximal end 4112 of the elongate channel 4110 and the articulation joint 5200. See FIG. 70. The distal spine assembly 5010 is non-movably supported in a distal outer tube segment 5020 that operably interfaces with the surgical end effector 4000. The elongate shaft assembly 5000 further includes a proximal spine member (not shown) that operably interfaces with a proximal end of the articulation joint 5200 and may be attached to or otherwise operably interface with the housing of the surgical instrument 3010. A proximal outer tube segment 5030 extends from the articulation joint 5200 back to the housing to operably interface therewith.

The surgical instrument 3010 employs a firing drive system 4300 that comprises a firing member 4310 that includes a vertically-extending firing member body 4312 that comprises a top firing member feature and a bottom firing member feature. A tissue cutting blade 4314 is attached to or formed in the vertically-extending firing member body 4312. The firing drive system 4300 comprises a rotary drive nut 4400 that is configured to rotatably drive a series 4600 of drive components 4610 that operably interface with the firing member 4310. The rotary drive nut 4400 comprises a flexible proximal segment 4410 that spans the articulation joint 5200 and a threaded distal segment 4420 that is distal to the articulation joint 5200. The threaded distal segment 4420 comprises a series of variable pitched threads 4430, with coarse spacing 4432 at the proximal end, and tighter spacing 4434 at the distal or exit end. See FIG. 72. The threaded rotary drive nut 4400 comprises a proximal drive gear 4440 that meshingly interfaces with a distal drive gear 4510 that is attached to a rotary drive shaft 4500. See FIG. 70. The rotary drive shaft 4500 may interface with a gearbox/motor arrangement supported in the housing of the surgical instrument 3010. Rotation of the rotary drive shaft 4500 causes the drive nut 4400 to rotate about the shaft axis SA.

The rotary drive nut 4400 comprises a proximal segment 4410 and a threaded distal segment 4420. The threaded distal segment 4420 is located distal to the articulation joint 5200 and is configured to threadably engage a series 4600 of drive components 4610 that are loosely linked together by flexible tethers 4640. In at least one arrangement, for example, each drive component 4610 comprises a vertically extending plate member 4612 that each includes a top end 4614 and a bottom end 4618. The top end 4614 includes a top thread segment 4616 and the bottom end 4418 includes a bottom thread segment 4620. The top thread segment 4616 and the bottom thread segment 4620 are configured to threadably engage the threads 4430 of the rotary drive nut 4400. The series 4600 of drive components 4610 is configured to flexibly pass through the articulation joint 5200 and into a vertical passage 5012 in the distal spine assembly 5010. Rotation of the rotary drive nut 4400 in a first rotary direction causes the series 4600 of drive components 4610 to move axially in the distal direction and rotation of the rotary drive nut 4400 in a second rotary direction will cause the series 4600 of drive components 4610 to move axially in the proximal direction.

Turning to FIG. 72, in at least one arrangement, each drive component 4610 further comprises a distally protruding latch feature 4630. Each latch feature 4360 is configured to be releasably received in latching engagement within a latch cavity 4364 that is formed in the adjacent drive component 4610 that is immediately distal thereto. When the drive components 4610 are latched together, they form an axially rigid series 4600AR of drive components for applying an axial drive motion to the firing member 5310 to drive the firing member 5310 through the surgical end effector 4000 from a starting to an ending position and then from the ending position back to the starting position. As can be seen in FIG. 72, as the drive components 4610 enter the threaded distal segment 4420 of the rotary drive nut 4400, they are loosely linked together. As the drive components 4610 threadably engage the finely pitched threads 4430 in the threaded distal segment 4420 of the rotary drive nut 4400, the latch features 4630 are latchingly received within the corresponding latch cavity 4364 in the distally adjacent drive component 4610 to form the axially rigid series 4600AR of drive components 4610. In one arrangement, a distal-most drive component 4610 may be configured to latchingly engage the firing member 4310 in a similar manner or in alternative arrangements, the distal-most drive component may be non-removably attached to the firing member 4310.

In the illustrated example, the drive components 4610 in the series 4600 of drive components are flexibly linked together such that they can move relative to each other to accommodate the articulation joint and without the need for reinforcing and support plates that are commonly required when pushing a firing beam through an articulated joint. As the series of drive components 4610 enters and is drivingly engaged by the threaded distal segment 4420 which is distal to the articulation joint, the drive components 4610 form the axially rigid series of drive components for driving the firing member 4310 through the surgical end effector 4000. The anvil 4210 may be pivoted into an open position by a spring or other arrangement in the various manners disclosed herein and then closed by the firing member 4310 as the firing member 4310 is driven distally from a starting position to an ending position in the various manners discussed herein. Other jaw control arrangements may also be employed to control the opening and closing of the jaws.

FIGS. 73-76 illustrate another surgical end effector 6000 that employs a drive system 6300 that comprises a series 6600 of flexibly linked drive components 6610 that can be used to traverse an articulation joint 6200 and rigidly advance a firing member 6130 through the surgical end effector 6000. The surgical end effector 6000 may comprise a channel 6010 that is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge (not shown) therein. An anvil 6020 may be pivotally coupled to the channel 6010 and is movable between an open position and a closed position by the firing member 6130 or other closure system arrangement. The anvil 6020 may be moved to an open position by a spring or other arrangement in the various manners disclosed herein.

Turning to FIG. 74, in at least one arrangement, each drive component 6610 comprises a drive component body 6612 that has a proximal face 6614, a distal face 6616, and thread segment 6620 that is formed on a bottom surface 6618. Each drive component 6610 further comprises a proximally protruding latch feature 6630. Each latch feature 6630 comprises a neck feature 6632 that has a spherical latch head 6634 formed on an end thereof. The latch feature 6630 is configured to be movably received within a latch cavity 6336 that is formed in the adjacent drive component 6610 that is immediately distal thereto. To facilitate movable attachment of the drive components 6610 in movable serial arrangement, the spherical latch head 6634 is inserted through a tapered passage 6338 in the drive component body 6612 and into the latch cavity 6636. The spherical latch head 6634 is sized and shaped relative to the latch cavity 6636 to permit relative movement between the drive components 6610 when arranged as shown in FIG. 74. However, when the drive components are axially aligned such that the distal face 6616 of one drive component 6610 is in abutting engagement with the proximal face 6614 of the drive component that is immediately distal thereto, the drive components 6610 form an axially rigid series 6600AR of drive components that can drive the firing member 6130 through the surgical end effector 6000.

As can be seen in FIG. 73, a flexible rotary drive system 6700 is employed to drive the series of 6600 drive components 6610. In one arrangement, the flexible rotary drive system 6700 comprises a flexible rotary drive shaft 6710 that can pass through the articulation joint 6210 and includes a rotary drive gear 6720 that is configured to threadably engage the thread segments 6620 on each drive component 6610. The flexible rotary drive shaft 6710 may be rotated by a motor/gear arrangement supported in a housing of a surgical instrument. The portion 6600F of the series 6600 of drive components 6610 that is proximal to the rotary drive gear 6720, remains flexibly linked or “floppy”. As the drive components 6610 are threadably engaged by the rotary drive gear 6720 they are driven through a passage in the channel 6010 that causes the drive components to form the axially rigid series 6600AR for driving the firing member 6130 through the surgical end effector 6000.

Torsional loads that are applied to firing system components as they traverse the articulation joint are less likely to de-articulate the articulation joint than axial loads. Various embodiments disclosed herein transfer torsional loads to longitudinal loads in a location that is distal of the articulation joint. Because the longitudinal loads are contained in the end effector, de-articulation is prevented. FIG. 77 illustrates one firing system 6800 example that can provide such advantages. The firing system 6800 comprises a firing member 6810 that is configured to be operably supported in a surgical end effector in the various manners described herein. A flexible spring-like driven member 6820 is attached to the firing member 6810. Such flexible, spring-like driven member 6820 can span an articulation joint area 6840 that can attain relatively large ranges of articulation. The flexible, spring-like driven member 6820 is configured to be driven axially by a flexible, spring-like torsion drive member 6830 that is rotatably supported to span the articulation joint area 6840. The flexible, spring-like torsion drive member 6830 includes a threaded insert 6832 that is configured to threadably engage the spring-like driven member 6820 at a location 6841 that is distal to the articulation joint area 6840. The flexible, spring-like torsion drive member 6830 may be rotated by a motor/gear arrangement supported in a housing of a surgical instrument. As the flexible, spring-like torsion drive member 6830 rotates in a first direction, the flexible, spring-like driven member 6820 translates longitudinally to drive the firing member 6810. Rotation of the flexible torsion drive member 6830 in a second direction will cause the flexible, spring-like driven member to move proximally.

FIG. 78 illustrates another firing system 6850 that comprises a firing member 6860 that is configured to be operably supported in a surgical end effector in the various manners described herein. The firing member 6860 is driven by firing member drive assembly 6861 which comprises a series 6862 of spherical ball members 6870 that are coupled together by a flexible cable 6872. Such series 6862 of flexible spherical ball members 6870 can span an articulation joint area 6840 that can attain relatively large ranges of articulation. The series 6862 of flexible spherical ball members 6870 is configured to be driven axially by a flexible torsion drive member 6880 that is rotatably supported to span an articulation joint area 6890. The flexible torsion drive member 6880 includes an insert 6882 that is configured to drivingly engage the spherical ball members 6870 at a location 6892 that is distal to the articulation joint area 6890. The flexible torsion drive member 6880 may be rotated by a motor/gear arrangement supported in a housing of a surgical instrument. As the flexible torsion drive member 6880 rotates in a first direction, the spherical ball members 6870 are driven distally into contact with each other to form an axially rigid series 6862AR that translates longitudinally to drive the firing member 6860 distally. Rotation of the flexible torsion drive member 6880 in a second direction will cause the series of spherical ball members 6870 to move proximally.

FIG. 79 illustrates another firing system 6950 that comprises a firing member 6960 that is configured to be operably supported in a surgical end effector in the various manners described herein. A laser cut, hypotube driven member 6970 is attached to the firing member 6960. Such flexible driven member 6970 can span an articulation joint area 6940 that can attain relatively large ranges of articulation. The flexible driven member 6970 is configured to be driven axially by a flexible torsion drive member 6980 that is rotatably supported to span the articulation joint area 6940. The flexible torsion drive member 6980 includes a threaded insert 6982 that is configured to threadably engage the laser cuts 6972 on the flexible driven member 6970 at a location 6942 that is distal to the articulation joint area 6940. The flexible torsion drive member 6980 may be rotated by a motor/gear arrangement supported in a housing of a surgical instrument. As the flexible torsion drive member 6980 rotates in a first direction, the flexible driven member 6970 translates longitudinally to drive the firing member 6960. Rotation of the flexible torsion drive member 6980 in a second direction will cause the flexible driven member 6970 to move proximally.

Pushing a firing beam forward in an articulating end effector generally requires a lot of force and such force needs to be balanced. For example, it is generally difficult to push a firing beam through an articulation joint that has been articulated to angles of greater than sixty degrees. As the firing beam traverses through the articulation joint, the firing beam can apply significant loads onto the articulation joint components which can cause the articulation joint to de-articulate. FIGS. 80-84 illustrate a firing drive system 7300 that comprises a flexible upper drive band 7320 and a flexible lower drive band 7330 that are attached to a firing member 7310 that is configured to move within a surgical end effector 7000 between a starting and ending position. As can be seen in FIGS. 80-82, the flexible upper drive band 7320 comprises a plurality of spaced upper drive teeth 7322 that are configured to threadably engage a helical thread 7342 on a rotary drive nut 7340. Similarly, the flexible lower drive band 7330 comprises a plurality of spaced lower drive teeth 7332 that are configured to threadably engage the helical thread 7342 on the rotary drive nut 7340. In at least one arrangement, the flexible upper drive band 7320 and the flexible lower drive band 7330 are formed from a metal material and are welded to or otherwise attached to the firing member 7310. Such arrangement serves to balance the firing loads that are applied to the firing member 7310.

The rotary drive nut 7340 is received on a flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 that is centrally disposed between the flexible upper drive band 7320 and the flexible lower drive band 7330 and traverses through the articulation joint area generally designated as 7200. The flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 may be rotated by a motor/gear arrangement supported in a housing of a surgical instrument. As the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 rotates in a first direction, the flexible upper drive band 7320 and the flexible lower drive band 7330 will drive the firing member 7310 distally. Rotation of the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 in a second direction will cause the flexible upper drive band 7320 and the flexible lower drive band 7330 to pull the firing member 7310 proximally. In at least one arrangement, flexible upper drive band 7320 and the flexible lower drive band 7330 pass through a guide member 7360 that surrounds the rotary drive nut 7340 to prevent the flexible upper drive band 7320 and the flexible lower drive band 7330 from bypassing the rotary drive nut 7340 during actuation of the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350. See FIG. 84.

In the illustrated arrangement, the firing member 7310 is configured to move through the surgical end effector 7000 that comprises a first jaw 7010 and a second jaw 7030 that is configured to move relative to the first jaw 7010. In one embodiment, the first jaw 7010 comprises an elongate channel 7012 that is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein. See FIGS. 80 and 81. The second jaw 7030 comprises an anvil 7032 that is pivotally supported on the elongate channel 7012 and is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the elongate channel 7012. As can be seen in FIG. 82, in at least one form, the firing member 7310 comprises a shape that is commonly referred to as an “E-beam”. The firing member 7310 comprises a vertically extending firing member body 7312 that has a lower foot feature 7314 that comprises two laterally extending tabs 7315 that are configured to be slidably engage the elongate channel 7012 as the firing member is driven axially therein. In addition, a pair of upper tabs 7316 protrude from the upper portion of the firing member body 7312 to engage the anvil 7032 as the firing member 7310 is driven distally through the closed anvil 7032. During the firing stroke, the tabs 7315 and 7316 may serve to space the anvil 7032 relative to the surgical staple cartridge supported in the elongate channel 7012. The firing member body 7312 also comprises a tissue cutting feature 7318. The tabs 7316 may also serve to apply a closing motion to the anvil 7032 as the firing member 7310 is moved distally from the starting position.

In the illustrated example, the firing drive system 7300 may also be employed to apply opening and closing motions to the anvil 7032. As can be seen in FIGS. 80-83, a closure nut 7370 is threadably received on the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350. The closure nut 7370 comprises a cam pin 7372 that extends laterally from each side of the closure nut 7370 to be received in corresponding cam slots 7036 in an anvil mounting portion 7034 of the anvil 7032. See FIGS. 80 and 81. Such cam pins 7372 prevent the closure nut 7370 from rotating with the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 such that rotation of the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 causes the closure nut 7370 to move axially. Thus, rotation of the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 in a first direction causes the closure nut 7370 to move distally and cam the anvil 7032 from the open position to the closed position. Rotation of the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 in the second rotary direction will cause the closure nut 7370 to move proximally and cam the anvil 7032 back to the open position. Thus, alternating the rotation of the flexible rotary drive shaft 7350 may allow the surgeon to quickly open and close the anvil 7032 for grasping purposes, for example.

FIG. 85 illustrates an alternative firing drive assembly 7302 that comprises the flexible upper drive band 7320′ that has upper drive teeth 7322′ and a flexible lower drive band 7330′ that has lower drive teeth 7332′ that is formed out of one piece of material such as metal. The flexible upper drive band 7320′ also includes upper strength tabs 7324′ that are provided to pass through the anvil 7032 similar to the upper tabs 7316 on the firing member 7310 as well as lower strength tabs 7334 that are provided to pass through the channel 7012 similar to the tabs 7315 on the firing member 7310. FIG. 86 illustrates an alternative firing drive assembly 7302′ that is fabricated from two band assemblies 7302A and 7302B that are laminated together to form the flexible upper drive band 7320″ that has the upper drive teeth 7322″ and a flexible lower drive band 7330″ that has the lower drive teeth 7332″. Each band assembly 7302A, 7302B also comprise upper strength tabs 7324A″, 7324B″ and lower strength tabs 7334A″, 7334B″ that are provided to pass through the anvil 7032 and the elongate channel 7012, respectively.

The firing drive system 7300 serves to apply a uniform drive motion to the firing member 7310 and can accommodate articulation angles that may be greater than seventy degrees, for example. In addition, because the rotary drive nut 7340 engages the flexible upper drive band 7320 and flexible lower drive band 7330 at a location that is distal to the articulation joint area 7200, the linear firing loads are confined to the end effector and do not go through the articulation joint.

FIGS. 87-89 illustrate another form of surgical instrument 9010 that may address many of the challenges facing surgical instruments with end effectors that are articulatable to large articulation angles and that are configured to cut and fasten tissue. In various embodiments, the surgical instrument 9010 may comprise a handheld device. In other embodiments, the surgical instrument 9010 may comprise an automated system sometimes referred to as a robotically-controlled system, for example. In various forms, the surgical instrument 9010 comprises a surgical end effector 10000 that is operably coupled to an elongate shaft assembly 12000. The elongate shaft assembly 12000 may be operably attached to a housing. In one embodiment, the housing may comprise a handle that is configured to be grasped, manipulated and actuated by the clinician. In other embodiments, the housing may comprise a portion of a robotic system that houses or otherwise operably supports at least one drive system that is configured to generate and apply at least one control motion which could be used to actuate the surgical end effectors disclosed herein and their respective equivalents. In addition, various components may be “housed” or contained in the housing or various components may be “associated with” a housing. In such instances, the components may not be contained with the housing or supported directly by the housing. For example, the surgical instruments disclosed herein may be employed with various robotic systems, instruments, components and methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,072,535, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS WITH ROTATABLE STAPLE DEPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In one form, the surgical end effector 10000 comprises a first jaw 10100 and a second jaw 10200. In the illustrated arrangement, the first jaw 10100 comprises an elongate channel 10110 that comprises a proximal end 10112 and a distal end 10114 and is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge 10300 therein. The surgical staple cartridge 10300 comprises a cartridge body 10302 that has an elongate slot 10304 therein. A plurality of surgical staples or fasteners (not shown) are stored therein on drivers (not shown) that are arranged in rows on each side of the elongate slot 10304. The drivers are each associated with corresponding staple cavities 10308 that open through a cartridge deck surface 10306. The surgical staple cartridge 10300 may be replaced after the staples/fasteners have been discharged therefrom. Other embodiments are contemplated wherein the elongate channel 10110 and/or the entire surgical end effector 10000 is discarded after the surgical staple cartridge 10300 has been used.

In the illustrated arrangement, the second jaw 10200 comprises an anvil 10210 that comprises an elongate anvil body 10212 that has a proximal end 10214 and a distal end 10216. The anvil body 10212 comprises a staple-forming undersurface 10218 that faces the first jaw 10100 and may include a series of staple-forming pockets (not shown) that correspond to each of the staples or fasteners in the surgical staple cartridge 10300. The anvil body 10212 may further include a pair of downwardly extending tissue stop features 10220 that are formed adjacent the proximal end 10214 of the anvil body 10212. One tissue stop feature 10220 extends from each side of the anvil body 10212 such that a distal end 10222 on each tissue stop 10220 corresponds to the proximal-most staples/fasteners in the surgical staple cartridge 10300. When the anvil 10200 is moved to a closed position onto tissue positioned between the staple-forming undersurface 10218 of the anvil 10200 and the cartridge deck surface 10306 of the surgical staple cartridge 10300, the tissue contacts the distal ends 10222 of the tissue stops 10220 to prevent the tissue from migrating proximally past the proximal-most staples/fasteners to thereby ensure that the tissue that is cut is also stapled. When the surgical staple cartridge is “fired” as will be discussed in further detail below, the staples/fasteners supported within each staple cavity are driven out of the staple cavity 10308 through the clamped tissue and into forming contact with the staple forming undersurface 10218 of the anvil 10200.

As can be seen in FIG. 88, the proximal end 10214 of the anvil body 10212 comprises an anvil mounting portion 10230 that comprises a pair of laterally extending mounting pins 10232 that are configured to be received in corresponding mounting inserts 10130 that are configured to be retainingly received within mounting cradles 10120 formed in the proximal end 10112 of the elongate channel 10110. The mounting pins 10232 are pivotally received within pivot holes 10132 in the mounting inserts 10130 and then the mounting inserts 10130 are inserted into their corresponding cradle 10120 and affixed to the elongate channel 10110 by welding, adhesive, snap fit, etc. Such arrangement facilitates pivotal travel of the anvil 10210 relative to the elongate channel 10110 about a fixed (i.e., non-translating, non-moving) pivot axis PA. See FIG. 87.

In the illustrated arrangement, the elongate shaft assembly 12000 defines a shaft axis SA and comprises a hollow outer tube (omitted for clarity) that operably interfaces with a housing of the control portion (e.g., handheld unit, robotic tool driver, etc.) of the surgical instrument 9010. The elongate shaft assembly 12000 further comprises an articulation joint 12200 that may be attached to the hollow outer tube as well as the surgical end effector 10000 to facilitate selective articulation of the surgical end effector 10000 relative to the elongate shaft assembly 12000 about multiple articulation axes in multiple articulation planes. In at least one arrangement, for example, the articulation joint 12200 comprises a proximal joint member 12210, a central joint member 12230, and a distal joint member 12250. In one example, the central joint member 12230 operably interfaces with the proximal joint member 12210 such that the central joint member 12230 is selectively articulatable through a first or proximal articulation plane that is defined by a first or proximal articulation axis AA₁ that is transverse to the shaft axis SA. Also in one example, the distal joint member 12250 operably interfaces with the central joint member 12230 such that the distal joint member 12250 is selectively articulatable through a second or distal articulation plane that is defined by a second or distal articulation axis AA₂ that is transverse to the shaft axis SA and transverse to the first or proximal articulation axis AA₁.

As can be seen in FIGS. 89 and 90, the proximal joint member 12210 comprises a proximal joint distal face 12212 that defines two spaced, lateral apex portions 12214, 12216. The apex portion 12214 defines a radial surface 12215 and the apex portion 12216 defines a radial surface 12217 (FIG. 90). The central joint member 12230 comprises proximal face 12232 that defines two spaced lateral proximal apex portions 12234, 12236. The proximal apex portion 12234 defines a radial surface 12235 and the apex portion 12236 defines a radial surface 12237. As can be seen in FIG. 89, the proximal face 12232 of the central joint member 12230 confronts the proximal joint distal face 12212 of the proximal joint member 12210 such that the central joint member 12230 is articulatable through a first articulation plane defined by the first or proximal articulation axis AA₁ that extends between a point where the lateral apex portion 12214 on the proximal joint member contacts the proximal apex portion 12234 on the central joint member 12230 and the point where the lateral apex portion 12216 on the proximal joint member 12210 contacts the proximal apex portion 12236 on the central joint member 12230. In one arrangement, the radial surfaces 12215, 12217 on the lateral apex portions 12214, 12216, respectively, and the radial surfaces 12235 and 12237 on the proximal apex portions 12234, 12236, respectively, may act as rocker points/surfaces about which the central joint member 12230 may articulate relative to the proximal joint member 12210. Additionally, the central joint member 12230 comprises proximal first gear tooth segments that are configured to rotatably mesh with distal gear segments 12218, 12220 on the proximal joint member 12210. See FIG. 88. In various arrangements, the radial surface 12235 on the central joint member 12230 may be spaced from the radial surface 12215 on the proximal joint member 12210 and the radial surface 12237 on the central joint member 12230 may be spaced from the radial surface 12217 on the proximal joint member 12210.

The central joint member 12230 further comprises a central joint distal face 12240 that defines a centrally disposed upper apex portion 12242 that forms an upper radial surface 12244 and a lower apex portion 12246 that forms a lower radial surface 12248. See FIG. 89. The distal joint member 12250 is attached to the proximal end 10112 of the elongate channel 10110 by a mounting bushing 10150 and comprises a proximal face 12251 that faces or confronts the central joint distal face 12240 on the central joint member 12230. See FIGS. 89 and 92. As can be seen in FIGS. 89 and 92, the proximal face 12251 defines a centrally disposed upper apex portion 12252 that forms an upper radial surface 12254 that is configured to confront or abut the upper radial surface 12244 on the central joint member 12230. The proximal face 12251 further defines a centrally disposed lower apex portion 12256 that forms a lower radial surface 12258 that is configured to confront or abut the lower radial surface 12248 on the central joint member 12230. See FIG. 89. The distal joint member 12250 further comprises an upper gear tooth segment 12253 that is configured to rotatably mesh with an upper gear tooth segment 12243 on the central joint member 12230. In addition, the distal joint member 12250 comprises a lower gear tooth segment 12255 that is configured to rotatably mesh with a lower gear tooth segment 12245 on the central joint member 12230. See FIG. 92.

The distal joint member 12250 is configured to articulate through a second or distal articulation plane defined by the second or distal articulation axis AA₂ that extends between a point where the upper apex portion 12252 on the distal joint member 12250 contacts or confronts the upper apex portion 12242 on the central joint member 12230 and the point where the lower apex portion 12256 on the distal joint member 12250 contacts or confronts the lower apex portion 12246 on the central joint member 12230. See FIGS. 89 and 92. In one arrangement, the radial surfaces 12254, 12258 on the upper and lower apex portions 12252, 12256, respectively of the distal joint member 12250 and the radial surfaces 12244 and 12248 on the upper and lower apex portions 12242, 12246, respectively on the central joint member 12230 may act as rocker points/surfaces about which the distal joint member 12250 may articulate relative to the central joint member 12230. In alternative arrangements, however, the radial surface 12254 on the distal joint member 12250 is spaced from the radial surface 12244 on the central joint member 12230 and the radial surface 12258 on the distal joint member 12250 is spaced from the radial surface 12248 on the central joint member 12230.

Returning to FIG. 88, in the illustrated example, the articulation joint 12200 is operably controlled by a cable control system 9030 that comprises four cables 12510, 12520, 12530, and 12540 that extend through the elongate shaft assembly 12000. The cable control system 9030 may be supported within a housing 9020 of the surgical instrument 9010. The cable control system 9030 may comprise a plurality of cable support members/capstans, pulleys, etc. that are controlled by one or more corresponding motors that are controlled by a control circuit portion of the surgical instrument 9010. In various embodiments, the cable control system 9030 is configured to manage the tensioning (pulling) and paying out of cables at precise times during the articulation process. In addition, in at least one arrangement, the cable control system 9030 is employed to control the opening and closing of the anvil 10210 as will be discussed in further detail below.

As can be seen in FIG. 88, the cables 12510, 12520, 12530, and 12540 are configured to operably interface with a closure system 12600 that is rotatably mounted in the proximal end 10112 of the elongate channel 10110. In at least one arrangement, the closure system 12600 comprises a pulley unit 12610 that comprises a first lateral alpha wrap pulley 12620 and a second lateral alpha wrap pulley 12630 that are interconnected by a central shaft 12640. See FIGS. 93 and 94. The pulley unit 12610 is rotatably supported within the proximal end 10112 of the elongate channel 10110 by mounting brackets 12710 and 12720. See FIG. 88. More particularly, the proximal end 10112 of the elongate channel 10110 defines a firing member parking area 10140 that is proximal to the mounting cradles 10120 and is configured to operably support a firing member 12310 when in a starting position. Each mounting bracket 12710, 12720 is mounted within the firing member parking area 10140 on each side of the shaft axis SA to enable the firing member 12310 to be received in the parking area 10140 when the firing member 12310 is in a starting position. The mounting brackets 12710, 12720 may be attached to the proximal end 10112 of the elongate channel 10110 by welding, adhesive, snap features, etc. The mounting bracket 12710 comprises a first shaft cradle 12712 that is configured to rotatably support a first pivot shaft 12621 protruding from the first lateral alpha wrap pulley 12620 and the second mounting bracket 12720 comprises a second shaft cradle 12722 that is configured to rotatably support a second pivot shaft 12644 protruding from the second lateral alpha wrap pulley 12630. In addition, each mounting bracket 12710, 12720 further includes a relief area 12732 that is shaped to receive the corresponding first and second alpha wrap pulleys 12620, 12630 therein.

As can be seen in FIG. 94, the first alpha wrap pulley 12620 comprises a first circumferential groove 12622 and a second circumferential groove 12624. In the illustrated example, the first cable 12510 is received in the first circumferential groove 12622 and is attached thereto and the second cable 12520 is received in the second circumferential groove 12624 and is attached thereto. Pulling on the first cable 12510 will result in the rotation of the first lateral alpha wrap pulley 12620 in a first direction and pulling the second cable 12520 will result in the rotation of the first lateral alpha wrap pulley 12620 in a second opposite direction. Similarly, the second lateral alpha wrap pulley 12630 comprises a first circumferential groove 12632 and a second circumferential groove 12634. In the illustrated arrangement, cable 12540 is received in the first circumferential groove 12632 and is attached thereto and the second cable 12520 is received in the second circumferential groove 12634 and is attached thereto. Pulling on the fourth cable 12540 will result in the rotation of the first second alpha wrap pulley 12630 in the first direction and pulling the third cable 12530 will result in the rotation of the second lateral alpha wrap pulley 12630 in the second opposite direction. The lateral alpha wrap pulleys 12620, 12630 can rotate approximately three hundred thirty degrees. This range of rotational travel is in contrast to a normal pulley that may have a range of rotational travel that is less than one hundred eighty degrees of rotation.

Each of the first and second lateral alpha wrap pulleys 12620, 12630 also comprises a corresponding spiral closure cam that is configured to apply closure motions to the anvil 10210. As can be seen in FIG. 94, the first lateral alpha wrap pulley 12620 includes a first spiral closure cam 12626 and the second lateral alpha wrap pulley 12630 has a second spiral closure cam 12636 thereon. The spiral closure cams 12626, 12636 are configured to cammingly interact with corresponding anvil closure arms 10234 on the anvil mounting portion 10230 of the anvil 10210 to apply closure motions thereto. FIG. 96 illustrates the position of a spiral closure cam 12626 on the first lateral alpha wrap pulley 12620 when the anvil 10210 is biased into the open position by an anvil spring 10240. Rotation of the pulley unit 12610 in a first rotary direction will cause the spiral closure cams 12626 to cam the anvil 1210 to the closed position shown in FIG. 97. To open the anvil 10210, the pulley unit 12610 is rotated in opposite direction back to the position shown in FIG. 96.

Referring now to FIGS. 91 and 93, the first cable 12510 extends from the cable control system through the elongate shaft assembly and through a passage in the proximal joint member 12210 and is looped around two redirect pulleys 12650, 12660 that are supported on shafts 12602, 12612 that are mounted in the central joint member 12230. The first cable 12510 exits the central joint member 12230 through passage 12231 and extends through passage 12257 in the distal joint member 12250 to be received within the first circumferential groove 12622 in the first lateral alpha wrap pulley 12620 where it is attached thereto. A second cable 12520 extends from the cable control system through the elongate shaft assembly and through passage 12213 in the proximal joint member 12210 to be looped around the redirect pulleys 12650, 12660 in the central joint member 12230. The second cable 12520 exits the central joint member 12230 through a corresponding passage 12241 and extends through passage 12259 in the distal joint member 12250 to be received within the second circumferential groove 12624 in the first lateral alpha wrap pulley 12620 where it is attached thereto.

In the illustrated example, the third cable 12530 extends from the cable control system 9030 through the elongate shaft assembly 12000 and through a corresponding passages in the proximal joint member 12210, the central joint member 12230, and the distal joint member 12250 to be received within a corresponding circumferential groove in the second lateral alpha wrap pulley 12630 where it is attached thereto. In addition, a fourth cable 12540 extends from the cable control system 9030 through the elongate shaft assembly 12000 and through corresponding passages in the proximal joint member 12210, the central joint member 12230, and the distal joint member 12250 to be received within a corresponding circumferential groove in the second lateral alpha wrap pulley 12630 where it is attached thereto.

In at least one example, to articulate the surgical end effector 10000 relative to the elongate shaft assembly 12000 through a first articulation plane that is defined by the first articulation axis AA₁, the cable control system 9030 is actuated to pull on the second cable 12520 and the fourth cable 12540 simultaneously with a same amount of tension being applied to each cable 12520 and 12540. Because the cables 12520, 12540 apply equal amounts of tension on both sides of the pulley unit 12610, the pulley unit 12610 does not rotate. However, the pulling action of the cables 12520 and 12540 is translated through the articulation joint 12200 to the surgical end effector 10000 which results in the articulation of the central joint member 12230 relative to the proximal joint member 12210 about the first articulation axis AA₁. See FIGS. 92 and 98. To articulate the surgical end effector 10000 through a second plane of articulation that is defined by the second articulation axis AA₂ and is transverse to the first plane of articulation, the cable control system 9030 is actuated to pull the third cable 12530 and the fourth cable 12540 simultaneously with a same amount of tension being applied to each cable 12530 and 12540. Because the cables 12530, 12540 apply equal amounts of tension on both sides of the second lateral alpha wrap pulley 12630 of the pulley unit 12610, the pulley unit 12610 does not rotate. However, the pulling action of the cables 12530 and 12540 is translated through the articulation joint 12200 to the surgical end effector 10000 which results in the articulation of the distal joint member 12250 relative to the central joint member 12230 about the second articulation axis AA₂. See FIGS. 92 and 99.

The cable control system 9030 may also be used to control the opening and closing of the anvil 10210 in the following manner. As indicated above, when the spiral cams 10626 on the first lateral alpha wrap pulley 10620 and the second lateral alpha wrap pulley 10630 are in the position shown in FIG. 96, the anvil 10210 is biased into the open position by the anvil spring 10240. To close the anvil 10210 from that position, the cable control system 9030 is actuated to pull the first cable 12510 and the fourth cable 12540 simultaneously with a same amount of tension being applied to each cable 12510 and 12540. These cables 12510 and 12540 will cause the pulley unit 12610 to rotate into the closure position shown in FIG. 97 which causes the closure cams 10626 to cammingly contact the anvil closure arms 10234 to pivot the anvil 10210 into the closed position. It will be appreciated that by applying equal amounts of tension into the cables 12510 and 12540, no moment is applied to the central joint member 12230 and/or distal joint member 12250 because there are equal amounts of tension being applied on each side of the articulation joint 12200. See FIG. 91. Such arrangement allows the jaw closure to be profiled as desired. This cable-controlled system 9030 allows for a faster closure when the anvil is fully open. The cable-controlled system 9030 can also function as a lower speed/higher force generating closure mechanism for clamping onto tissue. The present cable controlled system 9030 may also not produce the backlash that commonly occurs with other cable-controlled systems and thus can also be used to control the articulation position of the end effector. As will be further discussed below, this cable actuated closure and articulation system does not cross across the center axis or shaft axis of the articulation joint which provides critical space for a firing drive system 13000.

The above-described articulation joint 12200 and cable controlled system 9030 can facilitate two plane articulation while also supplying an additional actuation motion to the surgical end effector 10000 while keeping the central area of the articulation joint 12200 free for other control systems as will be discussed in further detail below. The articulation joint 12200 uses the last degree of freedom to actuate the jaw closure of the surgical end effector. In one aspect, the articulation joint 12200 comprises an N+1 joint, meaning that for N degrees of freedom, the joint requires N+1 cables to actuate it. Thus, in the above-described example, the articulation joint 12200 employs four actuation cables.

As can be seen in FIGS. 100-103, the firing drive system 13000 comprises a firing member 13310 that includes a vertically-extending firing member body 13312 that has two laterally extending tabs 13314 protruding from a bottom portion 13313 of the firing member body 13312. The tabs 13314 are configured to be slidably engage ledges 10113 in the elongate channel 10110 as the firing member 13310 is driven axially therein. In addition, a pair of upper tabs 13316 protrudes from a top portion 13315 of the firing member body 13312. The upper tabs 13316 are configured to engage ledges 10213 (FIG. 103) in the anvil body 10212 as the firing member 13310 is driven distally through the closed anvil 10210. During the firing stroke, the tabs 13314 and 13316 may serve to space the anvil 10210 relative to a surgical staple cartridge that is supported in the elongate channel 10110. The firing member body 13312 also comprises a tissue cutting feature 13318 and a proximally-facing notch 13319 that is configured to accommodate the central shaft 12640 of the pulley unit 12610 when the firing member 13310 is in its proximal-most starting position within the firing member parking area 10140 in the proximal end 10112 of the elongate channel 10110.

As shown in FIGS. 100-102, the firing drive system 13000 further comprises an upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 that is operably coupled to the top portion 13315 of the firing member 13310 and a lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 that is operably coupled to the bottom portion 13313 of the firing member 13310. In at least one embodiment, the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 comprises an upper series 13410 of upper chain link features 13420 that are loosely coupled together by an upper flexible coupler member 13402 that is attached to the top portion 13315 of the firing member 13310. In at least one example, each upper chain link feature 13420 comprises an upper ball or sphere 13422 that has an upper hollow passage 13424 therein that is configured to permit the upper flexible coupler member 13402 to pass therethrough. As can be seen in FIG. 100, the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 further comprises an upper compression assembly 13430 for compressing the upper balls 13422 in the upper series 13410 together. In one arrangement, the upper compression assembly 13430 comprises a hollow flexible compression tube 13432 that is received on the upper flexible coupler member 13402. An upper ferrule 13440 is crimped onto the upper flexible coupler member 13402 and an upper compression spring 13442 is journaled between the upper ferrule 13440 and the upper flexible compression tube 13432 to distally bias the upper flexible compression tube 13432 into contact with the proximal-most upper ball 13422P in the upper series 13410 of upper chain link features 13420.

Similarly, in at least one embodiment, the lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 comprises a lower series 13510 of lower chain link features 13520 that are loosely coupled together by a lower flexible coupler member 13502 that is attached to the bottom portion 13313 of the firing member 13310. In at least one example, each lower chain link feature 13520 comprises a lower ball or sphere 13522 that has a lower hollow passage 13524 therein that is configured to permit the lower flexible coupler member 13502 to pass therethrough. The lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 further comprises an upper compression assembly 13530 for compressing the lower balls 13522 in the lower series 13510 together. In one arrangement, the lower compression assembly 13530 comprises a hollow flexible compression tube 13532 that is received on the lower flexible coupler member 13502. A lower ferrule 13540 is crimped onto the lower flexible coupler member 13502 and a lower compression spring 13542 is journaled between the lower ferrule 13540 and the lower flexible compression tube 13532 to distally bias the lower flexible compression tube 13532 into contact with the proximal-most lower ball 13522P in the lower series 13510 of lower chain link features 13520.

Now turning to FIG. 104, in at least one arrangement, the firing drive system 13000 further comprises rotary drive screw 13700 that is configured to drivingly interface with the upper series 13410 of upper chain link features 13420 and the lower series 13510 of lower chain link features 13520. As can be seen in FIG. 104, in the illustrated arrangement, the rotary drive screw 13700 is rotatably supported in the mounting bushing 10150 that is attached to the proximal end 10112 of the elongate channel 10110. For example, the rotary drive screw 13700 comprises a body portion 13702 that has a central axle 13704 protruding therefrom that is rotatably mounted in a mounting hole 10152 in the mounting bushing 10150. Such arrangement permits the rotary drive screw 13700 to rotate about the shaft axis SA.

In the illustrated example, the rotary drive screw 13700 is driven by a rotary drive system 13600 that comprises a proximal rotary drive shaft 13610 that is rotatably supported within an axial passage 12225 within the proximal joint member 12210. As can be seen in FIG. 105, the proximal rotary drive shaft 13610 comprises a proximal end 13612 and a distal end 13614. The proximal end 13612 may interface with a gear box/motor arrangement 9050 or other source of rotary motion housed in the housing 9020 of the surgical instrument 9010. Such source of rotary motion causes the proximal rotary drive shaft 13610 to rotate about the shaft axis SA within the axial passage 12225 in the proximal joint member 12210. See FIG. 104. As can be seen in FIG. 105, the distal end 13614 of the proximal rotary drive shaft 13610 is movably coupled to a first drive shaft segment 13620. In the illustrated example, the first drive shaft segment 13620 resembles a “dog bone” with a first spherical proximal end 13622 and a first spherical distal end 13624. See FIG. 106. The first spherical proximal end 13622 is movably pinned within a first distal socket 13616 formed in the distal end 13614 of the proximal rotary drive shaft 13610 by a first proximal pin 13618. The first proximal pin 13618 extends through an arcuate transverse slot 13623 in the first spherical proximal end 13622. Such arrangement permits the first spherical proximal end 13622 to move in multiple directions within the first distal socket 13616 while remaining attached thereto. The first spherical distal end 13624 is received within a first proximal socket 13632 in a central bearing housing 13630 that is mounted within the central joint member 12230. The first spherical distal end 13624 is movably pinned within the first proximal socket 13632 by a first distal pin 13634. The first distal pin 13634 extends through an arcuate transverse slot 13625 in the first spherical distal end 13624. Such arrangement permits the first spherical distal end 13624 to move in multiple directions within the first proximal socket 13632 while remaining attached to the central bearing housing 13630.

As can be seen in FIG. 105, the rotary drive system 13600 further comprises a second drive shaft segment 13640 that resembles the first drive shaft segment 13620 and includes a second spherical proximal end 13642 and a second spherical distal end 13644. The second spherical proximal end 13642 is movably pinned within a second distal socket 13636 that is formed in the central bearing housing 13630 by a second proximal pin 13637. The second proximal pin 13637 extends through an arcuate transverse slot 13643 in the second spherical proximal end 13642. Such arrangement permits the second spherical proximal end 13642 to move in multiple directions within the second distal socket 13636 while remaining attached thereto. The second spherical distal end 13644 is received within a second proximal socket 13706 in the rotary drive screw 13700 and is movably pinned within the second proximal socket 13706 by a second distal pin 13647. The second distal pin 13647 extends through a transverse slot 13646 in the second spherical distal end 13644. Such arrangement permits the second spherical distal end 13644 to move in multiple directions relative to the rotary drive screw 13700.

The double joint rotary drive maintains a linear velocity output by using the angle constraint of the joint members of the articulation joint. This universal rotary joint arrangement on its own may have a sinusoidal output based on the angle of the joint. If the angles are equal and the phases are aligned correctly, the sine output of the first universal joint will be canceled out by the second universal joint, producing a linear rotational velocity. This is an advantage to putting a constraint in the rotary drive because it decreases the complexity of the components and prevents the need to remove material from the components to attain the requisite clearance. Thus, the components of this embodiment are more robust and stronger than prior arrangements. Further, the constant velocity of the rotary drive system will allow for smoother firing and reduced wear that may be otherwise caused by vibration.

Returning to FIG. 102, the rotary drive screw 13700 comprises helical grooves or drive features 13708 formed on a circumference thereof that are configured to engage and drive the upper balls or spheres 13422 in the upper series 13410 of upper chain link features 13420 and the lower balls or spheres 13522 in the lower series 13510 of lower chain link features 13520. Thus, to drive the firing member 13310 from a starting position in the surgical end effector 10000 to an ending position within the end effector, the rotary drive system 13600 is actuated to apply a rotary drive motion to the rotary drive screw 13700. As the rotary drive screw 13700 rotates in the first rotary direction, the helical drive features 13708 engage the upper balls or spheres 13422 in the upper series 13410 of upper chain link features 13420 and the lower balls or spheres 13522 in the lower series 13510 of lower chain link features 13520 and drive the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and the lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 distally. As each upper ball 13422 and lower ball 13522 engage the rotary drive screw 13700, the upper balls 13422 in the upper series 13410 that are distal to the rotary drive screw 13700 (and the articulation joint 12200) and the lower balls 13522 in the lower series 13510 that are distal to the rotary drive screw 13700 (and the articulation joint 12200) are placed under compression to apply balanced axial drive forces to the firing member 13310. When the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and the flexible lower chain drive assembly 13500 are in compression, they are constrained by the slots in the anvil 10210 and the elongate channel 10110, respectively. Such arrangement ensures that, when the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 are compressed, they do not buckle.

This arrangement enables two degrees of articulation freedom for a few reasons. For example, the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 can bend freely both in the pitch and yaw axes. Thus, the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 can assume a variety of configurations that can accommodate various articulated positions that are attainable with the articulation joint 12200. Once the firing member 13310 has traveled through the surgical end effector 10000 distally to an ending position therein, the rotary drive system 13600 is actuated to apply a second rotary drive motion to the rotary drive screw 13700 to cause the rotary drive screw 13700 to rotate about the shaft axis in a second rotary direction. As the rotary drive screw 13700 rotates in the second rotary direction, the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and the lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 serve to retract the firing member 13310 in the proximal direction back to the starting position. As the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and the lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 retract the firing member 13310 proximally, a portion of the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and the lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 traverse back through the articulation joint 12200 and into the elongate shaft. Such arrangement allows the firing member 13310 to translate a long distance, without increasing the length of the end effector joint. Additionally, because the rotary drive screw 13700 drivingly engages the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and the lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 at a location that is distal to the articulation joint 12200, the high compressive loads are contained within the surgical end effector 10000 and do not create a moment on the articulation joint 12200. This arrangement may greatly reduce the strength requirements of the articulation joint. See FIG. 104.

In at least one arrangement, the surgical instrument 9010 may further comprise a cable tensioning system 13800 that is configured to maintain a desired amount of tension on the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and the lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 as they bend through the articulation joint 12200. Keeping the upper flexible chain drive assembly 13400 and the lower flexible chain drive assembly 13500 under a desired amount of tension as they traverse through the articulation joint 12200 may prevent slack from forming in those flexible chain drive assemblies 13400, 13500 which might otherwise cause them to undesirably bunch up in the articulation joint 12200. FIGS. 111 and 112 illustrate one form of cable tensioning system 13800 which comprises constant force spring arrangements 13810 and 13820. Such solution has the benefit of not requiring length conservation of the flexible chain drive assemblies 13400, 13500.

Another cable management system 13800′ is illustrated in FIGS. 113 and 114. In this arrangement, the proximal ends of the flexible chain drive assemblies 13400, 13500 are coupled together and journaled around a cable management pulley 13840 that is configured to translate with the firing member 13310. When the firing member 13310 is distally advanced during the firing stroke, the cable management pulley 13840 also translates distally maintaining tension in the flexible chain drive assemblies 13400, 13500. During articulation, a length of one of the flexible chain drive assemblies 13400, 13500 would increase, while the other would decrease. Such arrangement serves to minimize the lengths of the flexible chain drive assemblies 13400, 13500 required to fully actuate and articulate the surgical end effector 10000.

One method of using the surgical instrument 9010 may involve the use of the surgical instrument to cut and staple target tissue within a patient using laparoscopic techniques. For example, one or more trocars may have been placed through the abdominal wall of a patient to provide access to a target tissue within the patient. The surgical end effector 10000 may be inserted through one trocar and one or more cameras or other surgical instruments may be inserted through the other trocar(s). To enable the surgical end effector 10000 to pass through the trocar cannula, the surgical end effector 10000 is positioned in an unarticulated orientation (FIG. 63) and the jaws 10100 and 10200 must be closed. To retain the jaws 10100 in the closed position for insertion purposes, for example, the cable control system 9030 is actuated to pull the first cable 12510 and the fourth cable 12540 simultaneously which causes the pulley unit 12610 to rotate and cause the closure cams 10626, 10636 to contact the anvil closure arms 10234 to pivot the anvil 10210 into the closed position. See FIG. 97. The cable control system 9030 is deactivated to retain the anvil 10210 in the closed position. Once the surgical end effector 10000 has passed into the abdomen through the trocar, the cable control system 9030 is activated to rotate the pulley unit 12610 in an opposite direction to the position shown in FIG. 96 to permit the anvil 10210 to be biased open by the anvil springs 10240.

Once inside the abdomen and before engaging the target tissue, the surgeon may need to articulate the surgical end effector 10000 into an advantageous position. The cable control system 9030 may then be actuated to articulate the surgical end effector 10000 in one or more planes relative to a portion of the elongate shaft assembly 12000 that is received within the cannula of the trocar. Once the surgeon has oriented the surgical end effector 10000 in a desirable position, the cable control system 9030 is deactivated to retain the surgical end effector 10000 in the articulated orientation. Thereafter, the surgeon may activate the cable control system 9030 in the above-described manner to cause the anvil 10210 to rapidly close to grasp the tissue between the anvil 10210 and the surgical staple cartridge 10300. This process may be repeated as necessary until the target tissue has be properly positioned between the anvil 10210 and the surgical staple cartridge 10300.

Once the target tissue has been positioned between the anvil 10210 and the surgical staple cartridge 10300, the surgeon may activate the cable control system 9030 to close the anvil 10210 to clamp the target tissue in position. Thereafter, the firing process may be commenced by activating the rotary drive system 13600 to drive the firing member 13310 distally from the starting position. As the firing member 13310 moves distally, the firing member 13310 contacts a sled that is supported in the surgical staple cartridge 10300 and also drives the sled distally through the staple cartridge body. The sled serially drives rows of drivers supported in the staple cartridge toward the clamped target tissue. Each driver has supported thereon one or more surgical staples or fasteners which are then driven through the target tissue and into forming contact with the underside of the anvil 10210. As the firing member 13310 moves distally, the tissue cutting edge 13318 thereon cuts through the stapled tissue.

After the firing member 13310 has been driven distally to the ending position within the surgical end effector 10000, the rotary drive system 13600 is reversed which causes the firing member 13310 to retract proximally back to the starting position. Once the firing member 13310 has returned to the starting position, the cable control system 9030 may be activated to rotate the pulley unit 12610 back to an open position wherein the anvil springs 10240 can pivot the anvil 10210 to the open position to enable the surgeon to release the stapled tissue from the surgical end effector 10000. Once the stapled tissue has been released, the surgical end effector 10000 may be withdrawn out of the patient through the trocar cannula. To do so, the surgeon must first actuate the cable control system 9030 to return the surgical end effector 10000 to an unarticulated position and actuate the cable control system 9030 to pivot the anvil 10210 to the closed position. Thereafter, the surgical end effector 10000 may be withdrawn through the trocar cannula.

In previous endocutter arrangements, the firing member is pushed by a flexible beam. In such arrangements, the articulation joint must redirect the linear motion of the flexible beam as it enters the articulation joint back to that linear motion as it exits the articulation joint and enters the end effector. Because of the high loads required to push the flexible beam and the firing member, the flexible beam commonly experiences high amounts of friction as it exits the articulation joint and is linearly redirected into the end effector. This added amount of friction increases the amount of driving forces that are required to drive the firing member from the starting to ending position within the end effector while the end effector is articulated. Further, as the flexible beam traverses the articulation joint, it may apply de-articulation motions to the articulation joint components. Thus, the articulation joint components must be sufficiently robust so as to resist such de-articulation motions.

Other forms of surgical endocutters employ rotary forces to drive the firing member through the end effector. Such arrangements commonly employ a rotary drive screw that is housed within the channel that supports the staple cartridge. During use, the sled and tissue place large moments on the firing member which decrease the efficiency of the system and ultimately require higher rotary forces to actuate the firing member. It is difficult to move the rotary drive screw closer to the center of such forces because of the cartridge and the location of the tissue. It is also difficult to package a screw on top and bottom of the firing member without increasing the overall diameter of the surgical end effector. The various embodiments discussed above may address many if not all of these issues and challenges.

Example 1—A surgical instrument comprising a surgical end effector that includes a firing member that is supported for axial travel within the surgical end effector. An upper chain-drive assembly operably interfaces with a top portion of the firing member and a lower chain-drive assembly operably interfaces with a bottom portion of the firing member. A drive member operably interfaces with the upper chain-drive assembly and the lower chain-drive assembly to cause the upper chain-drive assembly and the lower chain-drive assembly to apply axial drive motions to the firing member to move the firing member between a starting position and an ending position within the surgical end effector.

Example 2—The surgical instrument of Example 1, wherein the upper chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of upper chain link features that are movably interconnected by an upper flexible member and wherein the lower chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of lower chain link features that are movably interconnected by a lower flexible member.

Example 3—The surgical instrument of Example 2, further comprising an upper tensioner that is attached to a proximal end of the upper flexible member to maintain variable tension in the upper chain-drive assembly and a lower tensioner that is attached to a proximal end of the lower flexible member to maintain variable tension in the lower chain-drive assembly.

Example 4—The surgical instrument of Examples 2 or 3, wherein each upper chain-link feature comprises an upper sphere and wherein each lower chain-link feature comprises a lower sphere.

Example 5—The surgical instrument of Examples 1, 2, 3 or 4, further comprising an elongate shaft that is coupled to the surgical end effector by an articulation joint that is configured to facilitate selective articulation of the surgical end effector relative to the elongate shaft. The drive member operably interfaces with the upper chain-drive assembly at an upper location and the drive member operably interfaces with the lower chain-drive assembly at a lower location. The upper location and the lower location are distal to the articulation joint.

Example 6—The surgical instrument of Example 5, wherein the articulation joint comprises a multi-axis articulation joint.

Example 7—The surgical instrument of Examples 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6, wherein a proximal upper portion of the upper chain-drive assembly that is proximal to the drive member is loosely coupled together and an upper distal portion of the upper chain-drive assembly that is distal to the drive member is compressed into a substantially rigid upper state that is configured to apply an upper axial drive motion to the firing member. A lower proximal portion of the lower chain-drive assembly that is proximal to the drive member is loosely coupled together and a lower distal portion of the lower chain-drive assembly that is distal to the drive member is compressed into a substantially rigid lower state that is configured to apply a lower axial drive motion to the firing member.

Example 8—The surgical instrument of Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, wherein the upper chain-drive assembly comprises an upper proximal end and an upper distal end that operably interfaces with the top portion of the firing member. The lower chain-drive assembly comprises a lower proximal end and a lower distal end that operably interfaces with the bottom portion of the firing member. The upper proximal end is coupled to the lower proximal end by a coupler member that is supported in operable engagement with a proximal support member that facilitates movement of the coupler member and the upper chain-drive assembly and the lower chain drive assembly. The proximal support member is configured to translate axially as the upper chain-drive assembly and the lower chain-drive assembly translate axially.

Example 9—The surgical instrument of Examples 5 or 6, wherein the drive member is located between the upper chain-drive assembly and the lower chain-drive assembly and is supported in a position that is distal to the articulation joint.

Example 10—A surgical instrument comprising an elongate shaft that has a surgical end effector coupled thereto by an articulation joint that is configured to facilitate selective articulation of the surgical end effector relative to the elongate shaft. The surgical end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw that is configured to move relative to the first jaw between an open position and a closed position. A firing member is supported for axial travel within the surgical end effector between a starting position and an ending position. The surgical instrument further comprises an upper chain-drive assembly that is attached to a top portion of the firing member and a lower chain-drive assembly that is attached to a bottom portion of the firing member. A rotary drive member operably interfaces with the upper chain-drive assembly at an upper location and with the lower chain-drive assembly at a lower location. The upper location and the lower location are distal to the articulation joint. The rotary drive member causes the upper chain-drive assembly and the lower chain-drive assembly to apply axial drive motions to the firing member to move the firing member between the starting position and the ending position.

Example 11—The surgical instrument of Example 10, wherein the upper chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of upper chain link features that are movably interconnected by an upper flexible member and the lower chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of lower chain link features that are movably interconnected by a lower flexible member.

Example 12—The surgical instrument of Example 11 further comprising an upper tensioner that is attached to a proximal end of the upper flexible member to maintain variable tension in the upper chain-drive assembly and a lower tensioner that is attached to a proximal end of the lower flexible member to maintain variable tension in the lower chain-drive assembly.

Example 13—The surgical instrument of Examples 10, 11 or 12, wherein each upper chain-link feature comprises an upper sphere and each lower chain-link feature comprises a lower sphere.

Example 14—The surgical instrument of Examples 10, 11, 12 or 13, wherein the first jaw comprises a bottom passage that is configured to slidably accommodate the bottom portion of the firing member and a distal portion of the lower chain-drive assembly and the second jaw comprises a top passage that is configured to slidably accommodate the top portion of the firing member and a distal portion of the upper chain-drive assembly when the firing member is moved between the starting position and the ending position.

Example 15—The surgical instrument of Example 14, wherein the bottom passage is sized and shaped relative to each lower sphere in the distal portion of the lower chain-drive assembly to prevent the distal portion of the lower chain-drive assembly from buckling as the firing member is driven from the starting position to the ending position. The top passage is sized and shaped relative to each upper sphere in the distal portion of the upper chain-drive assembly to prevent the distal portion of the upper chain-drive assembly from buckling as the firing member is driven from the starting position to the ending position.

Example 16—The surgical instrument of Examples 14 or 15, wherein the bottom passage comprises a bottom keyhole shape and the top passage comprises a top keyhole shape.

Example 17—The surgical instrument of Examples 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16, wherein the firing member is movable from a position distal to the starting position to the starting position without actuating the rotary drive member by applying an axial bailout motion to each of the upper chain-drive assembly and the lower chain-drive assembly.

Example 18—A surgical instrument, comprising an elongate shaft that has a surgical end effector coupled thereto by an articulation joint that is configured to facilitate selective articulation of the surgical end effector relative to the elongate shaft. The surgical end effector comprises a firing member that is supported for axial travel within the surgical end effector between a starting position and an ending position. An upper loosely-linked chain-drive assembly is supported by the elongate shaft and traverses the articulation joint to operably interface with a top portion of the firing member. A lower loosely-linked chain-drive assembly is supported by the elongate shaft and traverses the articulation joint to operably interface with a bottom portion of the firing member. The surgical instrument further comprises means for converting an upper portion of the upper loosely-linked chain-drive assembly that is distal to the articulation joint into a rigid drive member that is configured to apply axial drive motions to the firing member to drive the firing member between the starting position and the ending position.

Example 19—The surgical instrument of Example 18, wherein the upper loosely-linked chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of upper chain link features that are movably interconnected by an upper flexible member and the lower loosely-linked chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of lower chain link features that are movably interconnected by a lower flexible member.

Example 20—The surgical instrument of Example 19, wherein each upper chain-link feature comprises an upper sphere and wherein each lower chain-link feature comprises a lower sphere.

As used in any aspect herein, the term “control circuit” may refer to, for example, hardwired circuitry, programmable circuitry (e.g., a computer processor including one or more individual instruction processing cores, processing unit, processor, microcontroller, microcontroller unit, controller, digital signal processor (DSP), programmable logic device (PLD), programmable logic array (PLA), or field programmable gate array (FPGA)), state machine circuitry, firmware that stores instructions executed by programmable circuitry, and any combination thereof. The control circuit may, collectively or individually, be embodied as circuitry that forms part of a larger system, for example, an integrated circuit (IC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system on-chip (SoC), desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, servers, smart phones, etc. Accordingly, as used herein “control circuit” includes, but is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at least one discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one application specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry forming a general purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer program which at least partially carries out processes and/or devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computer program which at least partially carries out processes and/or devices described herein), electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g., forms of random access memory), and/or electrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a modem, communications switch, or optical-electrical equipment). Those having skill in the art will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital fashion or some combination thereof.

While several forms have been illustrated and described, it is not the intention of Applicant to restrict or limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Numerous modifications, variations, changes, substitutions, combinations, and equivalents to those forms may be implemented and will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, the structure of each element associated with the described forms can be alternatively described as a means for providing the function performed by the element. Also, where materials are disclosed for certain components, other materials may be used. It is therefore to be understood that the foregoing description and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, combinations, and variations as falling within the scope of the disclosed forms. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, variations, changes, substitutions, modifications, and equivalents.

One or more components may be referred to herein as “configured to,” “configurable to,” “operable/operative to,” “adapted/adaptable,” “able to,” “conformable/conformed to,” etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that “configured to” can generally encompass active-state components and/or inactive-state components and/or standby-state components, unless context requires otherwise.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to claims containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations.

In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that typically a disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms unless context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be typically understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”

With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art will appreciate that recited operations therein may generally be performed in any order. Also, although various operational flow diagrams are presented in a sequence(s), it should be understood that the various operations may be performed in other orders than those which are illustrated, or may be performed concurrently. Examples of such alternate orderings may include overlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered, incremental, preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reverse, or other variant orderings, unless context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, terms like “responsive to,” “related to,” or other past-tense adjectives are generally not intended to exclude such variants, unless context dictates otherwise.

It is worthy to note that any reference to “one aspect,” “an aspect,” “an exemplification,” “one exemplification,” and the like means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the aspect is included in at least one aspect. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one aspect,” “in an aspect,” “in an exemplification,” and “in one exemplification” in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same aspect. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more aspects.

Any patent application, patent, non-patent publication, or other disclosure material referred to in this specification and/or listed in any Application Data Sheet is incorporated by reference herein, to the extent that the incorporated materials is not inconsistent herewith. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

In summary, numerous benefits have been described which result from employing the concepts described herein. The foregoing description of the one or more forms has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the precise form disclosed. Modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The one or more forms were chosen and described in order to illustrate principles and practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the various forms and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the claims submitted herewith define the overall scope.

The surgical instrument systems described herein have been described in connection with the deployment and deformation of staples; however, the embodiments described herein are not so limited. Various embodiments are envisioned which deploy fasteners other than staples, such as clamps or tacks, for example. Moreover, various embodiments are envisioned which utilize any suitable means for sealing tissue. For instance, an end effector in accordance with various embodiments can comprise electrodes configured to heat and seal the tissue. Also, for instance, an end effector in accordance with certain embodiments can apply vibrational energy to seal the tissue.

Many of the surgical instrument systems described herein are motivated by an electric motor; however, the surgical instrument systems described herein can be motivated in any suitable manner. In various instances, the surgical instrument systems described herein can be motivated by a manually-operated trigger, for example. In certain instances, the motors disclosed herein may comprise a portion or portions of a robotically controlled system. Moreover, any of the end effectors and/or tool assemblies disclosed herein can be utilized with a robotic surgical instrument system. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/118,241, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS WITH ROTATABLE STAPLE DEPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,072,535, for example, discloses several examples of a robotic surgical instrument system in greater detail.

The entire disclosures of:

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U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0264194, entitled SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT WITH AN ARTICULATABLE END EFFECTOR, filed Apr. 22, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,308,040, are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Although various devices have been described herein in connection with certain embodiments, modifications and variations to those embodiments may be implemented. Particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined in whole or in part, with the features, structures or characteristics of one or more other embodiments without limitation. Also, where materials are disclosed for certain components, other materials may be used. Furthermore, according to various embodiments, a single component may be replaced by multiple components, and multiple components may be replaced by a single component, to perform a given function or functions. The foregoing description and following claims are intended to cover all such modification and variations.

The devices disclosed herein can be designed to be disposed of after a single use, or they can be designed to be used multiple times. In either case, however, a device can be reconditioned for reuse after at least one use. Reconditioning can include any combination of the steps including, but not limited to, the disassembly of the device, followed by cleaning or replacement of particular pieces of the device, and subsequent reassembly of the device. In particular, a reconditioning facility and/or surgical team can disassemble a device and, after cleaning and/or replacing particular parts of the device, the device can be reassembled for subsequent use. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that reconditioning of a device can utilize a variety of techniques for disassembly, cleaning/replacement, and reassembly. Use of such techniques, and the resulting reconditioned device, are all within the scope of the present application.

The devices disclosed herein may be processed before surgery. First, a new or used instrument may be obtained and, when necessary, cleaned. The instrument may then be sterilized. In one sterilization technique, the instrument is placed in a closed and sealed container, such as a plastic or TYVEK bag. The container and instrument may then be placed in a field of radiation that can penetrate the container, such as gamma radiation, x-rays, and/or high-energy electrons. The radiation may kill bacteria on the instrument and in the container. The sterilized instrument may then be stored in the sterile container. The sealed container may keep the instrument sterile until it is opened in a medical facility. A device may also be sterilized using any other technique known in the art, including but not limited to beta radiation, gamma radiation, ethylene oxide, plasma peroxide, and/or steam.

While this invention has been described as having exemplary designs, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A surgical instrument, comprising: a surgical end effector comprising a firing member supported for axial travel within said surgical end effector; an upper chain-drive assembly operably interfacing with a top portion of said firing member; a lower chain-drive assembly operably interfacing with a bottom portion of said firing member; and a drive member, wherein said drive member operably interfaces with said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly to cause said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly to apply axial drive motions to said firing member to move said firing member between a starting position and an ending position within said surgical end effector.
 2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said upper chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of upper chain link features movably interconnected by an upper flexible member and wherein said lower chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of lower chain link features movably interconnected by a lower flexible member.
 3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, further comprising: an upper tensioner attached to a proximal end of said upper flexible member to maintain variable tension in said upper chain-drive assembly; and a lower tensioner attached to a proximal end of said lower flexible member to maintain variable tension in said lower chain-drive assembly.
 4. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein each said upper chain-link feature comprises an upper sphere and wherein each said lower chain-link feature comprises a lower sphere.
 5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising an elongate shaft coupled to said surgical end effector by an articulation joint, wherein said articulation joint is configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said elongate shaft, wherein said drive member operably interfaces with said upper chain-drive assembly at an upper location, wherein said drive member operably interfaces with said lower chain-drive assembly at a lower location, and wherein said upper location and said lower location are distal to said articulation joint.
 6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein said articulation joint comprises a multi-axis articulation joint.
 7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein a proximal upper portion of said upper chain-drive assembly that is proximal to said drive member is loosely coupled together, wherein an upper distal portion of said upper chain-drive assembly that is distal to said drive member is compressed into a substantially rigid upper state configured to apply an upper said axial drive motion to said firing member, wherein a lower proximal portion of said lower chain-drive assembly that is proximal to said drive member is loosely coupled together, wherein a lower distal portion of said lower chain-drive assembly that is distal to said drive member is compressed into a substantially rigid lower state configured to apply a lower said axial drive motion to said firing member.
 8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said upper chain-drive assembly comprises an upper proximal end and an upper distal end, wherein said upper distal end operably interfaces with said top portion of said firing member, wherein said lower chain-drive assembly comprises a lower proximal end and a lower distal end, wherein said lower distal end operably interfaces with said bottom portion of said firing member, and wherein said upper proximal end is coupled to said lower proximal end by a coupler member, wherein said coupler member is supported in operable engagement with a proximal support member that facilitates movement of said coupler member and said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain drive assembly, and wherein said proximal support member is configured to translate axially as said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly translate axially.
 9. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein said drive member is located between said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly, and wherein said drive member is supported in a position that is distal to said articulation joint.
 10. A surgical instrument, comprising: an elongate shaft; a surgical end effector coupled to said elongate shaft by an articulation joint, wherein said articulation joint is configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said elongate shaft, and wherein said surgical end effector comprises: a first jaw; a second jaw, wherein said second jaw is configured to move relative to said first jaw between an open position and a closed position; and a firing member supported for axial travel within said surgical end effector between a starting position and an ending position, and wherein said surgical instrument further comprises: an upper chain-drive assembly attached to a top portion of said firing member; a lower chain-drive assembly attached to a bottom portion of said firing member; and a rotary drive member, wherein said rotary drive member operably interfaces with said upper chain-drive assembly at an upper location, wherein said rotary drive member operably interfaces with said lower chain-drive assembly at a lower location, wherein said upper location and said lower location are distal to said articulation joint, and wherein said rotary drive member causes said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly to apply axial drive motions to said firing member to move said firing member between said starting position and said ending position.
 11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein said upper chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of upper chain link features movably interconnected by an upper flexible member and wherein said lower chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of lower chain link features movably interconnected by a lower flexible member.
 12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, further comprising: an upper tensioner attached to a proximal end of said upper flexible member to maintain variable tension in said upper chain-drive assembly; and a lower tensioner attached to a proximal end of said lower flexible member to maintain variable tension in said lower chain-drive assembly.
 13. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein each said upper chain-link feature comprises an upper sphere and wherein each said lower chain-link feature comprises a lower sphere.
 14. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein said first jaw comprises a bottom passage configured to slidably accommodate said bottom portion of said firing member and a distal portion of said lower chain-drive assembly, and wherein said second jaw comprises a top passage configured to slidably accommodate said top portion of said firing member and a distal portion of said upper chain-drive assembly when said firing member is moved between said starting position and said ending position.
 15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein said bottom passage is sized and shaped relative to each said lower sphere in said distal portion of said lower chain-drive assembly to prevent said distal portion of said lower chain-drive assembly from buckling as said firing member is driven from said starting position to said ending position, and wherein said top passage is sized and shaped relative to each said upper sphere in said distal portion of said upper chain-drive assembly to prevent said distal portion of said upper chain-drive assembly from buckling as said firing member is driven from said starting position to said ending position.
 16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein said bottom passage comprises a bottom keyhole shape and wherein said top passage comprises a top keyhole shape.
 17. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein said firing member is movable from a position distal to said starting position to said starting position without actuating said rotary drive member by applying an axial bailout motion to each of said upper chain-drive assembly and said lower chain-drive assembly.
 18. A surgical instrument, comprising: an elongate shaft; a surgical end effector coupled to said elongate shaft by an articulation joint, wherein said articulation joint is configured to facilitate selective articulation of said surgical end effector relative to said elongate shaft, and wherein said surgical end effector comprises a firing member supported for axial travel within said surgical end effector between a starting position and an ending position; an upper loosely-linked chain-drive assembly supported by said elongate shaft and traversing said articulation joint to operably interface with a top portion of said firing member; a lower loosely-linked chain-drive assembly supported by said elongate shaft and traversing said articulation joint to operably interface with a bottom portion of said firing member; and means for converting an upper portion of said upper loosely-linked chain-drive assembly that is distal to said articulation joint into a rigid drive member configured to apply axial drive motions to said firing member to drive said firing member between said starting position and said ending position.
 19. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein said upper loosely-linked chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of upper chain link features movably interconnected by an upper flexible member, and wherein said lower loosely-linked chain-drive assembly comprises a plurality of lower chain link features movably interconnected by a lower flexible member.
 20. The surgical instrument of claim 19, wherein each said upper chain-link feature comprises an upper sphere and wherein each said lower chain-link feature comprises a lower sphere. 